SWEET PEAS. 



In making a selection from the many 

 varieties offered for sale, a great deal will 

 depend on the individual taste of the 

 grower, what colors one prefers, and also 

 on the amount of space that is available. 

 To grow anything of a large collection 

 requires a long stretch of trellis ; a weak 

 growing kmd is apt to be overgrown by 

 a stronger neighbor, unless there is about 

 five feet allowed to each kind. 



Probably a collection of twelve sorts 

 would satisfy the desires of the average 

 grower ; for variety in that number a very 

 fair representation of the different shapes 

 and colors can be had. 



Leaving out of consideration the six 

 new kinds sent out this year by Mr. 

 Eckford, as very few growers would care 

 to pay the price asked for them — 2/6 

 stg. the package — I would recommend 

 as the best out of seventy varieties grown 

 by me this season, the following twelve; 



ist. Blanche Burpee, decidedly the 

 best white to date, of large size, fine 

 form, good substance and a profuse 

 bloomer. 



2nd. Primrose, pale primrose yellow, 

 a very delicate and handsome flower ; 

 by some, Mrs. Eckford is considered a 

 better yellow, but it has not done so well 

 with me, 



3rd. Ramona, a new Californian va- 

 riety sent out this year, of largest size, 

 slightly hooded form, color white, with 

 faint rose-pink lines on the standard, a 

 lovely flower, strong, vigorous grower 

 and profuse bloomer. 



4th. Ainerica, also a new one from 

 California, the best red and white stripe, 

 white ground with brilliant blood-red 

 stripes, a most effective flower either in 

 a bouquet or on the trellis. 



5th. Princess Beatrice, pale blush and 

 pink, an old favorite, much grown by 

 florists for cut flowers. 



6th. Lottie Eckford, white suffused 

 with lavender standard and wings, with 



a delicate blue edge, a most exquisite 

 flower. 



7th. Countess of Radnor standard, .1 

 clear lavender, wings a little darker, good 

 size, hooded form, the best of the lav- 

 enders. 



8th. Katherine Tracy, nesv last season, 

 by far the best pink to date, of largest 

 size, good shape, clear rich pink all over, 

 the most profuse bloomer in my collec- 

 tion, shou'd be in every garden. 



9th. Lady Beaconsfield, salmon pink 

 and primrose, not of large size, but fine 

 form and a charming combinatian of 

 color. 



loth. Lady Penzance, a cherry pink 

 with pale carmine veining, a unique color, 

 good form and profuse bloomer. 



nth. Fire Fly, the best red to date, 

 not large in size or of the best shape, 

 but very brilliant in color. 



1 2th. Boreafton, the best dark sort, 

 an old favorite, deep velvety maroon and 

 claret. 



Such a collection would require at 

 least sixty feet of trellis, and if well 

 grown should produce not less than 

 50,000 trusses in the season ; I don't 

 think that is too many, if you have 

 lots of friends — and what gardener has 

 not when he has flowers to give away — 

 you can easily dispose of a great many 

 more than that. Of course twelve kinds 

 does not include ail that are worth 

 growing, if you liked you could very well 

 add another dozen to the number, every 

 one of them desirable flowers to have. 

 To my taste the second best dozen 

 would be made up as follows : Lemon 

 Queen, a fine white with a touch of yel- 

 low in it the first day after it opens. 

 Blanche Ferry, pink and white. Day- 

 break, a new American variety, white 

 and scarlet. Mrs. Gladstone, blush and 

 pink. Splendor, deep pink. Venus, 

 salmon pink. Princess of Wales, blue 

 and white striped. Grey Friar, should 



