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The Canadian Horticultun^ 



Floral Edition 



Vol. XLV. 



TORONTO, JANUARY, 1922 



No. 1 



Sweet Peas in British Columbia 



As the flowering season of the sweet 

 pea as grown here for seed pur- 

 ^ poses has only recently drawn to 

 a close, and while the behavior of the 

 different varieties is fresh in one's 

 memory, it is an opportune time to 

 make a comparison betMcen the differ- 

 ent varieties in their respective colors 

 and to decide which one to grow an- 

 other year. This season has been a 

 particularly favorable one for sweet 

 peas in this part of the country, and all 

 varieties, both old and new, have done 

 remarkably well. During June, climatic 

 conditions were such (dull, muggy 

 weather), that a fungus disease at- 

 tacked the plants and stunted the main 

 shoots. Inside of a week or ten days, 

 however, this had disappeared, and the 

 laterals grew just as healthily as if 

 nothing had happened. This disease 

 also attacked sweet" peas in the same 

 way, and for a few 

 days, things looked 

 mighty serious for the 

 sweet pea growers 

 around Victoria, of 

 \\hich there are quite a 

 number. 



It may be interesting 

 to your Eastern i-eaders 

 to know that forty 

 acres of sweet peas are 

 being grown for seed in 

 the vicinity of Victoria 

 this year (U)21), and 

 the probabilities are 

 that many more Avill 

 be grown next year. 

 Most of this seed is 

 grown for English seed 

 houses. Seed of the 

 latest varieties is sent 

 out here to be grown 

 and, in fact, quite a few 

 varieties ai'e to be seen 

 that are not yet dis- 

 seminated. Of these, of course, I dare 

 not say anything. 



Sweet peas do remarkably Avell on 

 South Vancouver Island, the climate 

 being ideal for them. Being able to sow 

 the seed early in February, thoy have a 

 long season of growth, and the l)right 

 hot days and cool nights of the summer 

 months are just suited for setting and 

 lipening the seeds of the highest qual- 



(rco. A. Robinson, Royal Oak, Victoria, B.C. 



ity. Our seeds are all hand picked, 

 being left on the vines until they are 

 thoroughly ripe. This ensures good 

 quality seed, much more so than if they 

 were cut and thrashed, ripe and unripe 

 at the same time. Such a \ariety of 

 sweet peas is grown now that it is a 

 difficult matter to pick out a list which 

 will suit everyone's taste or every pur- 

 pose. However, I will endeavor to give 

 you what I consider the best varieties 

 in their respective classes. 



A few of the novelties sent out this 

 year are great advances over older 

 varieties, notably: Royal Scot, Picture, 

 and Gladys, in light Ijlues. Mrs. Tom 

 Jones is magnificent and stands alone in 

 its color, as also does Commander 

 Godsall. In dark blues the latter vari- 

 ety has superseded Jack Cornvvall, V.C., 

 and Lord Nelson Spencer. In blush- 

 pinks. Elegance is true to name, being a 



A Field of Sweet Ppas in British Columbia. 



Koft.v anus of .sweet pea.s for .seed Krown in the vicinity of Victoria, 

 Our illu.straiion .ihows » (Itlfi of Bleg-ancc. 



beautiful variety, a good groAver, with 

 long stems, and holds its color well. 

 Doris is a beautiful cerise-pink. Glory 

 is supposed to be an improvement over 

 'this variety. It is a little darker in 

 color, but Doris will hold its own in any 

 company. Royal Scot, cerise-scarlet is 

 a good pea in every respect, being large, 

 a good grower and of splendid color. 

 Old favorites sueh as Alex. Maloolm 



and Ed. Cowdy, will have to take a back 

 seat with this variety. In scarlet-reds. 

 Scarlet Glow is a good thing, but I like 

 Mrs. C. P. Tomlin better. 



There are many new cream-pinks 

 being sent out and it is hard to make 

 a selection as they are all good with 

 slight variations in color, habit of 

 growth, etc. Picture, Cecily, The 

 Queen, Fair Lady, Caress, Giant Attrac- 

 tion, Market Pink and Mrs. Arnold 

 Hitchcock are all good, but I think the 

 two first named are the cream of the 

 best. 



Charity is a grand crimson and stands 

 head and shoulders above Sunproof 

 Crimson and King Edward Spencer. I 

 have, hoAvever, seen one in the trial 

 grounds this year, not yet disseminated, 

 Avhich, I think, Avill supersede Charity 

 Avhen it is sent out. 



Mrs. J. T. Wakefield is classed as 

 finished-pink. It is a 

 lovely pea and should 

 be generally groAvn. 

 This variety and Mrs. 

 Tom Jones Avere the 

 only tAvo varieties to 

 gain unanimous aAvards 

 of merit by the National 

 SAveet Pea Society, of 

 England, in 1920. 



There are quite a fcAv 

 lavenders, most of 

 Avhich are lovely cojors. 

 In dark lavenders, 

 Gladys, F. R. Felton. 

 Lavender Belle, and 

 Austin Fredei-ick Im- 

 proved, are all splendid 

 varieties. 



In light laA'enders, 

 HaAvhnark Lavender 

 and Tin win's fjavender 

 are both good and Avell 

 Avorth groAving. Splen- 

 dour, Wcmpl;. . and 

 Dobbie's Maroon, in mai6on,s,''' iii^p all 

 good varieties, esppcially Splendrmj-- 

 This variety has ro-'tracc of purple' in 

 it at all. King M/Huve is in a cla-sts-by 

 itself, as also is Royal Purple in tl)'el,r 

 I'e.spective colors. " •■ • 



Tangerine, and Robert SydejrAam 

 ImproA'ed, are tAvo grand 'orange- 

 colored varieties, but Unfortunately 

 they burn badlv in the sun. OroAvn 



B.C., last ye.ir, 



