190 



H ORTl^ol rURE 



February 16, 190T 



British Horticulture 



SWEET PEA SPECIALTIES. 



Chatting the other day with a member of a leading 

 firm of seedsmen, I learned that the interest being taken 

 in the sweet pea shows no signs of lessening. On the 

 contrary, the demand seems greatly on the increase. 

 This is not 'surprising, seeing the great advance which 

 has been made in recent years in the form, texture, and 

 tints of this popular annual, which is essentially a poor 

 man's flower. There are about 36 new varieties placed 

 on the market this year. Amongst these a prominent 

 place should be given to the new varieties which are be- 

 ing sent out by the well-known firm of Messrs. Watkins 

 & Simpson, Tavistock street, London. This house oc- 

 cupies a foremost place among wholesalers in the Brit- 

 ish Empire, and what they take up may be regarded as 

 worthy attention by the trade. The members of the 

 National Sweet Pea Society who visited the firm's trial 

 grounds last July were able to judge of the excellent 

 manner in which this branch of the business is con- 

 ducted. Mr. Alfred Watkins is a sweet pea enthusiast, 

 and last year was President of the National Society. 

 The additions now being sent out are valuable acquisi- 

 tions, likely to come to the fore on the show tables. 

 Nora Unwin is a good white having the wavy form of 

 the now far-famed Gladys Unwin; E. J. Castle, named 

 after a journalistic friend, is of a rich carmine rose, 

 with a salmon shading; Frank Dolby is an improved 

 Lady Grisel Hamilton; Mrs. Alfred Watkins is a de- 

 lightful shade of coral pink ; A. J. Cook, a useful violet 

 mauve. 



A POPULAR ANNUAL. 



Another indication of the increased interest taken in 

 the sweet pea is the issue of an annual entirely devoted 

 to this delightful flower. The third issue of this work 

 has lately been published for the National Sweet Pea 

 Society under the joint editorship of Messrs. H. J. 

 Wright and C. H. Curtis. The society continues to 

 make satisfactorj' progress. Amongst its vice-presidents 

 are W. Atlee Burpee, Philadelphia; Lester C. Morse, 

 and Ant. C. Zvolanek, Bound Brook, N. J. Thi.^ year 

 a new contributor is included in Mr. C. Harman Payne, 

 who writes on "The bibliography of the sweet pea." Mr. 

 Payne's researches have not been very productive, for 

 there is a paucity of literature dealing solely with the 

 sweet pea. Rev. W. T. Hutchins, of Indian Orchard, 

 Mass., is credited with being the pioneer author of an 

 independent treatise on sweet pea cultivation. Mr. 

 Payne has been unable to find the date of the first edi- 

 tion, but the second edition was published by Mess-rs. W. 

 Atlee Burpee & Co., of Philadelphia, in 1894. In the 

 available list of works is given the bulletin 127 entitled 

 "A Second Account of Sweet Peas," published by 

 the Cornell University in 1897 from the pens of A. P. 

 Wyman and M. G. Kains. The article of Mr. Payne is 

 only one of many interesting contributions which have 

 been brought together from all parts. Even Canada is 

 represented. Mr. James A. Bland, Secretary of the 



Horticultural Society, British Columbia, contributes a 

 verv readable article on "Sweet Peas in British Colum- 

 bia/' 



THE AMEHICAN GOOSEBERRY MILDEW. 



We are now in the midst of a controversy in this 

 country as to the above fruit pest. Professor Salmon, 

 of Wye, has discovered some cases in England, and he 

 is now actively engaged in a crusade to induce the 

 Board of Agriculture to take severe measures to prevent 

 a further importation of the disease. The Professor 

 favors the passing of a legislative enactment, prohibit- 

 ing the importation of the bushes from infected coun- 

 tries. At present the Board have no statutory author- 

 ity of this kind. On the other hand Mr. Geo. Massee, a 

 Kew expert, contends that Professor Salmon has taken 

 up an alarmist attitude; he asserts that fresh legisla- 

 tion is unnecessary. Mr. Massee states that the disease 

 can be easily coped with by pruning the bushes and by 

 proper spraying. Professor Salmon backs up his at- 

 titude by publishing an extract from a letter lately re- 

 ceived from Prof. B. T. Galloway, chief of the Bureau 

 of Plant Industry, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. This 

 communication states: "Only a few varieties of Eu- 

 ropean gooseberries are grown in the United States com- 

 mercially, and these have never been important." Prof. 

 Salmon winds up the controversy as follows : "I have 

 repeatedly urged that immediate legislation is neces- 

 sary to deal with the disease. It depends now to a large 

 extent on growers; do they care to exert themselves to 

 obtain from the Board of Agriculture the necessary pro- 

 tective measures?" The question has aroused keen in- 

 terest amongst growers. At several meetings held at the 

 principal fruit growing centres, resolutions have been 

 passed in favor of additional powers being obtained by 

 the Board of Agriculture. 



A NEW APPLE. 



Although the year 1906 produced no lack of novelties 

 in the floral department it cannot be said to have 

 brought forth any very striking new fruit introductions. 

 It is difficult to understand why there should be this 

 great disparity, for the raiser of a new fruit of merit 

 can generally command a good price for the article. Of 

 course, the prizes are few and the blanks many. One 

 of the most successful apple raisers is Mr. Chas. Ross, 

 of Welford Park Gardens, Newbury, Berks, who has 

 raised about a dozen sterling varieties, one of the more 

 recent being named after himself. His latest introduc- 

 tion is a culinary variety named Encore which will be 

 found useful for late work. It recently received an 

 award of merit from the Royal Horticultural Society. 

 The variety was very much admired when exhibited in 

 London a short time since, and it has certainly en- 

 hanced the raiser's reputation. Mr. Ross well deserves 

 the name of a "grand old gardener." He is over 80 

 years of age, alert and vigorous. A few weeks ago he 

 journeyed to London and staged his exhibits at the 

 show of the National Potato Society. Despite his ad- 

 vanced age he takes a keen interest in horticultural mat- 

 ters. There must be something conducive to old age 

 in a gardeners life, as there are many veterans to be 

 found in their ranks. It is marvellous how their inter- 

 est is maintained in gardening matters even when they 

 have reached the "sere and yellow leaf period" and the 

 lioe has been laid aside for vounger hands. 



>t)y, C^dni^. 



