280 



JOiJBNAL OF HORTioOLTUKB AND COf TAQB GAEDteNEf.. t September ai, ISIL 



meeting to diBcuBS so really important a subject. — E. Bennett, 

 Hatfield, Herts. 



PEAS FOB SUCCESSION. 



In variety and number Peas are absolutely bewildering. 

 Annually the number ia being increased by new ones which 

 the doEcriptious inform us are great advances on older kinds, 

 casting over tbom a gloom which the raiser and vendor trust, 

 no doubt, will prevent the keen eye of purchasers penetrating. 

 If there is anything so likely to keep the new ones in favour, 

 it ia the extravagant price at which they are " let " out. 

 Fancy having to pay 5s. for a half pint of Peas — a pound per 

 quart ! and then only to grow them a year for seed ; living 

 in expectation, feeding the eyes a year, the teeth being kept 

 well-nigh two years watering, in the hope of determining 

 some time what they are like. The new things coming-out 

 annually, and certificated as they are in most instances by the 

 Royal Horticultural Society, are enough to make anyone's 

 teeth water ; but the price is such as to make many an amateur 

 of limited means examine hia pockets in the vain search for the 

 needful. Considering the small quantity and the price, are we 

 to wonder that the new things are a long time in supplanting the 

 old ? and when we add the faint hope of testing the quality the 

 first year, as Peas must, if to be had in quantity the next, be 

 retained for seed, who can doubt the amateur's judgment in ab- 

 staining for a year or two from purchasing the novelties ? In a 

 year or two it will be known what they are, the price per quart 

 will not be more than an eighth or tenth what it was the first 

 year, and I might as well save myself the price of seed, the 

 ground, and the annoyance of seeing but not being able to come 

 to a satisfactory practical test of their palate-satisfying qualities. 

 We do not question the propriety of such reasoning, it is every- 

 way commendable in those of small means ; but were all to be 

 of their mode of thought, it is certain the novelties would not 

 come nearly so thick and fast. The rage for novelties is so 

 great, that high as is the price asked for them, the supply is 

 not equal to the demand. Everybody in these times is so 

 desirous of not being behind in the march of progress, that 

 at any sacrifice he must have the things which it is well known 

 always lead. We cannot, however, be in the world and not in 

 the fashion; we may, however, depend upon this — viz., whether 

 we are in or out of the world of fashion, we shall find that es- 

 teemed most valuable and best which affords the most lasting 

 enjoyment, and this is as applicable to the appetite as to any of 

 the senses. It is this which induces many to chng to old things 

 which have given long unqualified satisfaction ; their ideas 

 are wedded to " never-wiU-be-beaten," which so blinds some 

 that they (from their faith being pinned to old things), do not 

 set a proper estimate upon things of value coming-out yearly. 

 In this way they lose or deprive themselves for a long time of 

 things of merit, which it must be acknowledged we have in 

 new Peas, as we have in other subjects. I do not think any- 

 one would care to return to the Early May for a first early. 

 Emperor for second, the Marrows and Marrowfats (Wrinkled 

 Marrows), for main crops. Talk of old things being best! 

 always, please, except Peas. Dr. Hogg tells us in the " Year- 

 Book," 187-3, what all the known kinds of Peas are. I hope 

 to see every kind of vegetable gone through in the same way. 

 It is the best means to an end, the selection of the most pro- 

 ductive and useful sorts. 



I am led to these remarks from a reflection that I have grown 

 a great many sorts this year — in fact, every year since I came to 

 make out a seed order (over twenty-one years) , and have a result 

 just the same as I knew an old gardener had then, and said he 

 had had every year for nearly sixty years previously — namely, 

 a dish of Peas without fail every day from the early part of 

 June to the early part of October, and occasional dishes in 

 May and November, rarely in December. The kind grown 

 then was DUliatone's Early. The fifty-years practitioner had 

 to give way to fashion, the Early May was given up. Just a row 

 on a south border that might be 50 yards long was considered 

 enough. E arly E mperor was the mainstay for early Peas ; E arly 

 Green Marrow to succeed; Woodford Green Marrow, Dwarf 

 and Tall Marrows for successional and late crops, or six sorts 

 in all. Peas there were every year in plenty, and obtained as 

 easily as possible. WeU-manured ground, well-dug, and of light 

 soil was chosen for early crops, also warm spots ; trenching 

 or deep digging and throwing-up roughly in winter being 

 adopted for the summer crops. The early sorts were sown 

 November oth to 10th, again the first mild weather in or after 

 February, and when these appeared above ground the earlies 



were sown again, and at the same time the second earlies. The 

 next crop was the second earUes, and then a crop of each, 

 and afterwards the main crop, one crop succeeding the other 

 regularly every ten days up to July, the last sowing being made 

 in the first week. As to culture I do not find we have advanced, 

 but I should be glad if any correspondent having a Pea named 

 Salter's Tall Marrow would have the kindness to send me a 

 few seeds through the Editors. This is a tall Marrow (wrinkled 

 sUghtly), which my memory tells me is not surpassed by any 

 in cultivation, either in cropping or quality. 



Now this old man was everlastingly running down the new 

 and praising sky-high the old. Wonder it was he every year 

 ordered the new things. He knew very well (before he had 

 them, mind) they were no use ; but then they did to show 

 visitors, to send in whenever anyone staying at the hall lauded 

 up some new kind, insinuating that the old sorts were nowhere 

 in comparison, when he would send in the actual thing un- 

 known. All the new things were sent-in in that way, and it 

 they were not noticed he used to say they would do if they 

 cropped as well as the old, or if better, well — we must try them 

 again ; but if there was the least complaint either from cook 

 or high quarters, no matter what the cropping was, they were 

 thrown overboard. Many a time have we extolled a now kind 

 not known at table, not even by those loud in its j)raises. 

 " Keep a keen eye upon that which ia most esteemed at table, 

 and grow those things which serve it best and longest." 



It is very interesting, certainly, to test new varieties, but they 

 take up room, and stop very few gaps in the vegetable supply. 

 Good as are the new things it ia long before they supplant the 

 old. Of Peas we have over 110 kinda without synonyms, and 

 out of this number we can with at most half a dozen meet every 

 demand. We want early Peas, second crops, and later crops. 



Early kinds were for many years restricted to the small 

 white sorts ; but of late years we have had some valuable 

 additions in blues and greens, both smooth and wrinkled. 

 Ringleader, the true Dillistone's Early, is unquestionably the 

 earliest, or was — I say was, because I had it surpassed this 

 year by Blue Peter, but under rather unequal conditions. 

 Ringleader, Emerald Gem, and First and Best were sown on a 

 south border January l:3th, ends of rows north and south, and 

 on January '28th Blue Peter and Little Gem 18 inches from 

 the wall and parallel to it. Blue Peter was ready at the same 

 time as Ringleader (June 2.3), the first dish, in fact, taken off 

 Blue Peter as the pods of Ringleader were in pod and pea 

 comparatively small. Emerald Gem was fit to gather at the 

 same time. Little Gem, though a Pea of very good quality, ia 

 simply nowhere ; I had it seven to ten days after Blue Peter. 



1 had the last in pota sown January 1.3th, and had the first 

 dish April 21st, growing them in the second Poach house. 

 Little Gem, sown at the same time in pots, was nowhere. 

 First and Best was a week later than Emerald Gem and Blue 

 Peter, the last being grown under slightly advantageous cir- 

 cumstances ; but Firat and Best is a much better cropper. 

 Blue Peter grew with me 2 feet high, and was wonderfully 

 prolific. In pots it was dwarfer than Little Gem. 



As a first early I shall this year give my vote for Blue Peter, 



2 feet, for warm positions, for which its height admirably 

 adapts it. For first and second early Alpha, a blue wrinkled 

 sort, 1 feet ; general crop Fillbasket, a grand cropper, H feet ; 

 Jersey Hero, .3 feet ; Best of All, 3 feet ; G. F. Wilson, 4 feet ; 

 for late. Premier and Ne Plus Ultra. But I have got eight kinds, 

 which I will reduce to six, and in the order of sowing as 

 follows : — 



Sow November 5th to 10th, and December same dates, in a 

 warm position, Blue Peter and Alpha. 



Sow first open weather after middle of February, Blue Peter 

 and Alpha. 



Sow a fortnight after the above crop has been put in, every 

 fortnight up to the beginning of May Alpha, FiUbasket, Best 

 of AU. 



Sow beginning of May every fortnight up to July Ist G. F. 

 Wilson and Ne Plus Ultra. 



Note.— Fillbasket or Best of All to be sown at the same time 

 as the first sowing of G. F. Wilson and Ne Plus Ultra, and 

 Alpha must be sown once when Fillbasket and Best of AU are 

 first sown, it being discontinued at the sowings afterwards, as 

 Best of All is in the later sowings. 



All are wrinkled Peas except two— viz.. Blue Peter and Fill- 

 basket. Neither is so good for flavour as the others, and yet 

 both are grand Peas, FiUbasket especially for cropping, and it 

 will on that account be a great favourite for general growers 

 and market. I take a prospective view, and think we shall 



