364 



GARDEN MANAGEMENT. 



two or many, of mixed white and red colour. Of the pea cultivated in gardens, 

 the varieties have become so numerous, and so many have been re-named for 

 trivial variations, that it has been found necessary, both in this country and 

 in France, to classify them according to some well-defined characteristic. 

 M, Vilmorin, in "Le Bon Jardinier," divides them into podded and skinless, or 

 mange-tout peas ; each of these divisions, however, containing both dwarf and 

 tall sorts, requiring sticks, as well as late and early kinds. We are without 

 any test for comparison, except in one or two instances ; but we select a few 

 as examples of the sorts encouraged by our French neighbours. 



I. Dwarf Podded Peas. 



1. Early dwarf, — 18 to 20 inches; the 

 best early pea, alike proper for the 

 frame and open ground ; its flowers 

 rise from the second or third joint, 

 which distinguishes it from all others. 

 The pod is rather small, and the peas 

 good, without being remarkable. 



2. A very early-frame variety grown 

 by M. Gouthier is the smallest and 

 earliest pea in cultivation in France; 

 it is 16 centimetres high (about 8 

 inches), an excellent bearer, the pod 

 containing five peas. 



II. Tall Podded Peas. — Our early-frame 

 occupies the first place in this division, 

 under the synonyme Mechaux de Hol- 

 lande. Prince Albert is smaller and less 

 productive, but a few days earlier. 



1042. In 1835, the Koyal Horticultural Society employed Mr. Gordon to 

 report upon all the A-arieties of the pea grown in the gardens at Chiswick. In 

 his report, he divides them into nine classes, as follows : — 



Early Charlton is also a favourite, under 

 the synonymes Mechaux pois de Paris, 

 and Pois de Neuilly, and the tall white 

 marrow, as the Pois de Marly. 

 III. Skinless Peas. — Pois sans parchemin, 

 or mange-tout, are scarcely known with 

 us. In France, nine varieties are culti- 

 vated. The best, perhaps, of the eat- 

 alls, says M. Vilmorin, is the pois blanc 

 a grandes cosses ; its pod is large, broad, 

 fleshy, and crooked, — a quality which 

 has procured for it the name of the 

 ram's-horn. It grows very tall, and is 

 very productive in good soU, and requires 

 sticking. The giant skinless (pois geant 

 sans parchemin) is also remarkable for 

 the size of its pods, is extensively culti- 

 vated round Paris as a market pea. 



I. Common Dvcarf Peas. — With small 

 roundish pods, white peas, and stems 

 not exceeding 3 feet. 



II. Common Tall Peas. — "With round pods, 

 white peas, and stems requiring sticks. 



III. Dwarf Marrow Peas. — With broad 

 peas, particularly sweet when young, 

 and stems not more than 4 feet high. 



IV. Tall Marrowfats. — Like the last, but 

 with stems requiring sticks. 



V. Sugar Peas. — With pods destitute of 

 the usual tough lining, and eaten like 

 kidney-bean pods ; the peas white. 



VI. Imperial Peas. — With the strong 



growth of the marrows and the small 

 round peas of the Prussians. 



VII. Prussian Peas. — With the stems 

 branching very much, and roundish, not 

 very large pods ; the latest of any 

 class. 



VIII. Grey Sugar Peas. — With pods like 

 those of the fifth class, but with flowers 

 of a purplish colour, and peas spotted, 

 or any colour but white. 



IX. Grey Common Peas. — With purple or 

 white flowers, and peas any colour but 

 white, the whole of the class being field- 

 peas. 



1043. 1^^® results of Mr. Gordon's experiment was a selection,of about forty 

 varieties, many of which had numerous synonymes. Out of the whole, he 

 recommends early frame, early Charlton, and Duvergne, as the best sorts 

 for early sowing, belong to Class II, ; Knight's dwarf marrow, in Class III. ; 

 Knight's tall marrow, tall green marrow, the crown pea, and the branching 

 marrow, in Class IV., for late sowing. Among the sugar peas, not to be sown 

 before March, he recommends early May, the large crooked Vilmorin's sugar 

 and new tamarind class. And among dwarf blues, for summer use, the best 

 were found to be dwarf imperials. Class VI, ; blue Prussians, white Prussians, 

 and Groom's supex'b dwarf blue, Class VII. 



