HORTICULTUKAL BULLETINS. ~ 339 



in delicate sacs whioli in turn are enclosed in dark-colored spore cases. The lat- 

 ter appear as black specks, just visible to tlie naked eye, among the fungous 

 threads. The disease attacks leaves, leaf-stalk, pod, and stem so that the pea 

 plant is thoroughly infested with it, much to the detriment of its growth. Fre- 

 <iuent cultivation or irrigation will do much to hold the disease in check, but the use 

 of some fungicide will be desirable upon late varieties in hot, dry seasons. Among 

 tlie best for the purpose is a solution of 1 pound of copper sulphate in 500 gallons 

 of water. 



DO VARIETIES OF PEA RUN OUT? 



It is apparent to auj- one who has had much to do with peas, that varieties run 

 out, or at least lose their original characteristics. In all cases, running out does 

 not mean deterioration. Sometimes it is simply a changing of character. In our 

 work with peas, accurate descriptions, often illustrated with drawings, are kept of 

 the varieties grown. From these biographical records of the varieties it is easy 

 to see that varieties change from year to year, even the old standard sorts, the 

 characters of which ai"e supposed to be firmly fixed. Studies of the question have 

 been made, too, by growing the same variety from different seedsmen, and if seeds- 

 men really sell the same thing under a certain name, varieties of pea vary greatly 

 in the course of their history. It may be said that in the cases to be cited the 

 variations were due to a change made in the seed by a careless or unscrupulous 

 person; but such is hardly the case, because some of the characters appear well 

 marked and distinctive of that variety throughout all the samples. It is specially 

 noticeable that the foliage and habit of the plant is less variable than the peas, 

 they being generally the object of selection. 



Stratagem was grown from three seedsmen. In all, the characteristic dark green 

 foliage, stalky, angular veins, and exceedingly short nodes of the Stratagem were 

 apparent and varied but little. But the pods, though irrregular and varying in each 

 sample, yet taken as a whole were distinctly different. Pods were fairly uniform, 

 l3ut in the third they were so irregular, probably reversions to one of the parents, 

 that the peas were almost worthless. 



It is a matter of common observation that seed peas of the same variety, espe- 

 cially the wrinkled peas, differ in color when sold by different seedsmen. In sev- 

 eral cases peas grown on the Station grounds and described four years ago have 

 changed color of seed. 



The extra early peas of the Kentish Invicta type are earlier, more vigorous, and 

 more productive than the extra early peas of the Daniel O'Rourke type. But 

 iieither class is of sufficiently high quality to make it the best stock to work upon 

 for improvement. In the mere matter of eariiness both excel, but we ought to 

 develop an extra early variety of fine table qualit3% vigorous growth, and produc- 

 tiveness. What we need is the production of some well-flavored early sort which 

 will bear in sufficient abundance to be profitable for market and supersede the 

 flavorless extra early sorts which are now universally sold. This ought not to be 

 an impossibility, as the earliest varieties of the American Wonder type now come 

 liard after the Daniel O'Rourke. 



