HORTICULTURAL BULLETINS. 335 



PEAS. 



Work with peas has been carried forward this year on a somewhat extensive 

 scale. All the named sorts offered by the United States seedsmen, that have not 

 been tried and discarded before, were grown. The varieties were 60 in number, 

 about 200 plants of each sort occupying a double row 22 feet long. The peas were 

 planted May 17, but a ratlier poor stand was obtained. A rain following the plant- 

 ing was the only one until after the peas had ripened. They were, however, irri- 

 gated several times and a very good crop was the result. 



The numerous varieties were not grown for the single purpose of testing varieties. 

 Three objects were liept prominently in view. 



The prime object Avas, perhaps, testing varieties, for at this station it has always 

 seemed worth while to grow all vegetables, especially the novelties, offered by the 

 seedsmen, simply to give the public information regarding them. Secondly, the 

 determination of duplicates as synonyms was considered a practical problem, for 

 the varieties of pea have become so numerous, the nomenclature so confused, and 

 the individual merits of each one so highly praised, that even the experienced gard- 

 ener is sometimes perplexed in mailing his selection of seed. Lastly, it is apparent 

 that the limit of improvement of varieties is by no means yet reached. Since so 

 many varieties are grown under the eyes of the experimenter, it is possible for him 

 to throw some light upon the matter of improvement, thus enabling an intelligent 

 gardener to do something toward improving and originating new varieties. So we 

 have attempted to describe the ideal pea of the several types, and to give a few 

 hints regarding cross-breeding and selecting seed. 



Class I.— Plants tall, exceeding four feet; seeds white or cream-colored; pods 

 curved. 



White Marrowfat.— Plant four to six feet high, much branched at the base; stem 

 slender, foliage light green; stipules large; pods very light green, two to three 

 inches long; borne singly; very plump; blunt at the apex; peas light green, round 

 or compressed when quite old; seeds smooth and round; season late; very prolific; 

 quality excellent. An old variety, at one time extensively grown in this country. 

 Introduced by Thorburn in 1880 from England. 



Black-Eyed Marrowfat.— Very similar to the former; distinguished from it 

 because of a round, dark brown or black spot on that part of the seed called the 

 hilum. It is a little later than White Marrowfat, and matures its crop more slowly. 

 Also introduced by Thorburn from England. 



French Canner.— Plant three and a half to five feet high, branching at base; 

 stem slender; dark green foliage; stipules small; pods dark green, long, slim; apex 

 pointed; peas small, round, dark green; quality good when young; very productive. 

 U^sed almost exclusively for canning, for which it is probably the best variety 

 grown, because of quality, productiveness, and the fact that it retains its dark 

 green color after canning. Introduced from France a few years ago. 



Marblehead Early Marrowfat.— An early marrowfat pea; vines strong and vig- 

 orous; pods large; crop matures slowly. Introduced by Gregory in 1890. 



Petit Pois.— The same as French Canner. 



Class II.— Plants more than four feet tall; seeds green, bluish-green, or green and 

 cream-color; seeds shrivelled; pods nearly straight. 



Champion of England. — Plants three to five feet high, branching both at base and 

 above; stem rather stout; foliage pale green; stipules numerous and large; pods 

 three to four inches long, often borne in pairs, curving slightly, plump, blunt at 

 apex when fully developed; peas five to nine in a pod, light green, very large, com- 

 pressed; season late; quality unsurpassed; very productive. One of the oldest and 

 most extensively grown varieties. 



Telephone.— Differs from Champion of England in being dwarfer, several days 

 earlier, and in having larger pods, which are slightly incurved instead of recurved, 

 as are the Champion of England. 



Sanders' Marrow.— Differs from Champion of England but little. It is a great 

 favorite in England where it is said to be superior to the Champion of England. 



Telegraph. — Very similar to Telephone; it is a little dwarfer and a few days ear- 

 lier; foliage darker green, and the plants are stouter. 



For a late main crop the wrinkled marrowfats, as the class just described is 

 called, are the best, since in quality and productiveness they are unsurpassed. 

 They need to be staked, however, and this by many gardeners is considered a serious 

 defect. 



