History of Sweet Peas and Their Culture 



By Geo. W. Kerr, Fordhook Farms, Doylestown, Ps 



The ever increasing popularity of sweet peas within 

 the past twelve years has been little short of marvelous. 

 In fact, no parallel exists in the horticultural world un- 

 less we might except the tulip mania in Holland a great 

 number of years ago — and that was said to be largely 

 financial. 



The late Henry Eckford, of England, may be called the 

 father of the sweet pea, as previous to his making this 

 beautiful and fragrant annual his life study there were 

 only a few small-flowered varieties then in cultivation. 

 It was in 1870 that he started his lifework on the sweet 

 pea, and the development since that date has been one of 

 the wonders uf the floral world. 



ing a pure yellow and a rich full deep blue, such as is 

 found in Salvia Patens. 



Altiiough the sweet pea was first introduced from 

 Sicily about 1699, practically 90 per cent, of all the sweet 

 pea seed used throughout the world is now grown in 

 California. It is estimated that almost 2,000 acres are 

 grown there every year. As one acre will, on an average 

 season, produce from 600 to 1,000 pounds of seed, it will 

 be at once apparent that this seed will eventually pass 

 into the hands of thousands, nay millions of amateur and 

 professional growers. Although in this section the sweet 

 pea vines seldom reach a height of more than from four 

 to five feet except in exceptional seasons and locations, 



w. T. uxwix 



Some scientific botanists believe that certain races of 

 plants have rare periods which may occur once in every 

 few thousand years when they develop all sorts of ec- 

 centricities ; and if this be so, the year 1901 marks one 

 of these rare periods in the history of the sweet pea, as 

 it was in the summer of that year that a new type of 

 sweet pea was found in at least three gardens, one of 

 these being in Northamptonshire, one in Somersetshire 

 and the other in Cambridgeshire, England. i\ll these 

 evolutions or sports are said to have been found in that 

 fine old pink grandiflora variety Prima Donna. This new 

 variety was of very large size, the standard and wings 

 being beautifully waved and crimped, and thus the new 

 and glorious .Spencer race of sweet peas was born. 



The first of this new type to be exhibited was the one 

 found by Mr. Cole, gardener to Earl Spencer, .-Mthorp 

 Park, Northampton, and under the name of Countess 

 Spencer, the color of the flower being a rich rose pink : 

 and it's aj^pearance at the annual exhibition of the Nation- 

 al Sweet Pea Society's Show in London created great ex- 

 citement and admiration among the enthusiasts. This 

 new variety was oflfered to the public in 1904 and now 

 Countess Spencer has many hundred ofl'spring, embracing 

 all the colors previously found in this family and others 

 of quite new shades, tn fact, it might be said that only 

 two colors still baftle the sweet pea hybridizer, these be- 



in our northern Stales and in Canada the plants attain a 

 height of from ten to twelve feet, and there bloom from 

 June until frost. 



There is no royal road to success in growing the sweet 

 pea. The amateur and small grower is quite as likely to 

 make a success of his cultures as the professional garden- 

 er, provided a few simple rules are followed. The 

 ground must be thoroughly cultivated and deeply dug. 

 It must also be well manured and the se'ed should be 

 planted as early as possible. Of course, the ordinary cul- 

 tivation as extended to the vegetable plot will give fair 

 results, but those who are anxious to have flowers the 

 "best ever" and far surpassing our neighbors some extra 

 labor must necessarily be expended in preparing the 

 soil. If it is intended to grow the peas in rows, a trench 

 should be made at least two feet wide and two spadings 

 deep. In removing the soil throw the top layer on one 

 side and the bottom or sub-soil on the other side of the 

 trench. Loosen the bottom of the trench with a fork, 

 or should it be too hard take a mattock breaking it well 

 up, and mix with it any old garden refuse or rough stable 

 litter, on which a two or three inch layer of decayed sta- 

 ble or cow manure, then replace the bottom part of the 

 soil, mixing this again with wcll-rottcd manure, a little 

 freshlv slacked lime and bone meal ; then fill up with the 

 top soil with which incorporate tlioroughly rotted farm- 



