A dish of well cooked Green Peas is always acceptable on the dinner-table, and no garden is perfect, if a portion be not occupied, in the proper season, with this universally esteemed favorite.

The Pea is indigenous to the South of Europe, and all the usually cultivated sorts are varieties of an annual plant named, by botanists, Pisum sativum. During the last twenty-five years, there has been much attention paid to the improvement of sorts, which has resulted in far better quality than formerly.

To have a regular succession of crops is a desideratum, and, to secure this, many persons think it necessary to employ many sorts. This, however, is an error; for with a judicious selection of some three of the best, and attention to sowing, an uninterrupted supply may be had so long as the weather is favorable to their development, for, notwithstanding its southern origin, our hot and dry summers, except in favored localities, act so powerfully upon the cellular texture, as to prevent healthy action, and cause it to be next to worthless. Generally speaking, we are satisfied with what out-door culture can accomplish, in which case, it is only reasonable that there should be no delinquency; but fresh peas may be had most of the year, when expense and convenience are not wanting. The most suitable soil is newly turned up, but well worked and friable pasture land, moderately fertile. Fresh or rank manure causes too luxuriant a growth, with paucity of fruit, and never ought to be used, more particularly in soil which has had any previously liberal dressings. In such places, choose the poorest quarters, or those in which the dung has become thoroughly incorporated. Before sowing, the land ought always to be loosened some nine inches deep, with the spade, plough, or fork.

The seed may be evenly scattered along the bottom of drills two inches deep, and made level there. This operation is best performed by the spade, used almost in a horizontal position by the workman, as he travels along the side, but not in, the hollow. The requisite distance apart of these drills depends upon the height of the variety; for instance, those which usually grow five feet high, will only have light and air enough at five feet from row to row, while the dwarf, or sorts of two feet, will do with half the space. There is also a difference of seed required, as some kinds are of more spreading habit than others. When these peculiarities are already known to the sower, he can limit accordingly, but something like rule is necessary to the novice, and surety will be gained by using one pint of seed to a drill seventy feet long. Allowing that every day, successively, something like a peck and a half were wanted, this would take from eight to nine quarts of seed; and as information is best conveyed by recording one's own best success, in my own practice it is an object to have peas as early as possible, with daily pullings, kept up until the heat and drought render further sowings abortive.

So soon as the ground is in good working order, a warm spot on the Southern side of a fence is well and deeply loosened up with the spade; the drills are opened and sowed, as above described, with one quart of Extra Early (Sangster's Early No. 1 was tried last year, and proved the best early pea I have seen), one quart of Early Warwick or Early Frame (alias Prince Albert), and, at the same time, on the piece for general successions, one quart of Champion of England. These three kinds, all sown at the same time, give a supply which comes in immediately after each other, from their individual difference of precocity or lateness. Previous to this, about the middle of February, one quart of the earlier sort is sown in shallow boxes, and placed in a cold frame or late grapery, kept from frost. In the latter part of March, or beginning of April, trenches are made the same as for sowing, but deeper, in the warmest spot at liberty; the boxes are conveyed thither containing the young plants which are then four inches high, the loosely tacked side of each is drawn off, and the whole contents are slid carefully in the trench; the next box to the end of the former one, and so on until all are done.

The sides are afterwards filled in, and the soil left as a ridge on the north side, which assists in protecting from cold winds. The boxes are left also alongside the rows for a time, and, if there be danger of frost or severe weather, they are inverted over the tops of the plants. By this little extra trouble, I generally gain some ten days over those sowed as described in the open ground. So far, we have four successions by two sowings, and the using of three sorts, the Champion being the latest. To keep up after supply, one quart of the latter kind is sown each two weeks until the middle of June; after this, the weather prevents, in my situation, any further success. The object in using only one variety for all after-sowings, is the certainty of regular supply, which cannot be so well secured by many kinds, as they do not come in with the same exactness; and the reason for choosing the Champion of England exclusively, is on account of its excellent flavor and good bearing qualities. It is a tall growing Pea, however, of five to six feet, and should be sown in rows six feet apart.

This distance is suitable for celery, and, consequently, this latter may be put in for a fall crop, thus more economically occupying the ground.

So far, we have got a supply that will be fit for use from the middle of May to the middle of August, when, unless in unusually cool situations, there will be a blank. Sowings may be made the whole season, but, in any case, we may commence again about the latter mentioned period; and here it is best to put in one of the earlier sorts, because there may probably be some frosty nights before the later kinds would be filled in the pod. , This sowing will be .ready - say the latter part of September, or early in October, and continue on for some time; and if it be desirable to have Peas until New Year, an after-sowing may be made in box* frames having glass sashes. In this case, the dwarf sorts alone are admissible, and Bishop's Dwarf, or Queen of Dwarfs are two of the best, the rows being eighteen inches asunder. The glasses ought not to be put on until frosty nights are to be expected, and then air should be freely given on all favorable opportunities, the intention being not to force, but to protect.

As above, the possibility is, Peas may be had most of the year, viz: from May to January, with a brief deficiency of about six weeks; it is, however, necessary to have a low house or glazed pit with the convenience of artificial heat. This will only be needed in severe weather, and just enough heat, but not more, kept up to give a temperature of 45° in the night, with a rise to 609 in the day. The sowings and kinds will be the same as for frames; air will be required freely, but frost guarded against; it is here absolutely necessary to pinch out the tops of the vines when in full blossom, in order to assist the pods to fill. In this particular instance, it will always be found of benefit not only under glass, but in out-door culture, if time be allowed, and patience will undertake to do it. There is often much waste made in gathering the pods; a great deal of difference, also, between the good or bad quality depends upon this operation. Green Peas are always beat when fairly swollen, but not so far so as to be approaching maturity. On the other hand, if pulled too young, the flavor is deficient, and the husks predominate, A little observation only is required.

A trifling care in this respect, will often make a crop do double the service.

How To Boil Peas

Put them in boiling water in which one teaspoonful of common salt and one-fourth of a teaspoonful of carbonate of soda has been dissolved in each three quarts. Simmer very slowly twenty minutes, drain the water off through a hair-sieve, and add pepper and butter to taste.

It is presumed that the above-mentioned kinds will not satisfy all persons, notwithstanding a surety and good quality will be gained thereby. To make our essay more complete, a list of the best sorts is appended below: -

Woodford's Green Marrow

A. good bearer, of fine quality; very green; grows three to four feet; a late sort.

Knight's Dwarf Marrow

A fine sort; good bearer; flavor sweet; grows three to four feet; second early.

Hair's Dwarf Mammoth

A large late Pea, of good flavor.

Fairbeard's Surpriss

Very good; flavor sweet; grows five feet, and continues bearing a long time; second early.

Blue Scimitar

One of the best; continues bearing longer than the last mentioned; grows five feet; second early.

Flack's Victory

Large, productive, and sweet; a late sort; grows three feet.

Warner** Early Emperor

A good early Pea; very productive; grows four to five feet.

More might be noticed, but the above contains all that is necessary for all purposes, and they are of the very best.

Peas #1

From my note-book I copy some memoranda of peas, made last season. I plant all my sorts at same time, and generally from eight to ten inches deep. I thus get a succession of fruit, and the roots being in cool ground, the vines continue to grow, and produce much longer than when planted two to three inches deep, and hilled up.