20 THE BOOK OF THE SWEET PEA 



W. Breadmore, of Winchester, Messrs Dobbie & Co., 

 Rothesay, N.B., Messrs Sutton & Sons, Reading, Mr 

 J. S. Eckford, who carries on the business of the late 

 Mr Henry Eckford, at Wem, Shropshire, Mr Silas 

 Cole, Althorp Park, Northampton, Mr Stark, Great 

 Ryburgh, Mr Unwin, Histon, Cambs., Messrs Isaac 

 House & Son, Westbury-on-Trym, Messrs Hurst & 

 Son, Houndsditch, Messrs Watkins & Simpson, Covent 

 Garden, Miss Hemus, Upton-on-Severn, Mr H. J. 

 Jones, Lewisham and Keston, Mr R. Bolton, Cam- 

 forth, and others, both amateur and professional, 

 who in many ways are seeking to improve the Sweet 

 Peas. 



The Sweet Pea Bi-Centenary Celebration in 1900, as 

 we have remarked elsewhere, was a great event, and 

 from that period the progress of development has 

 been most marked. The exhibitions of the National 

 Sweet Pea Society, that have been held each successive 

 year since that date, have been one royal progress. The 

 Sweet Peas have captivated all hearts, and not a season 

 passes without many additional admirers falling a ready 

 prey to its fascinating influence. 



In 1901 the first show of the "National" Society 

 was held in the Royal Aquarium, Westminster, London, 

 and well do we remember the day for the dirt which 

 bespattered the table covering, etc., owing to heavy rain 

 of a thunderstorm that raged that day, percolating 

 through the roof to the discomfort of everybody. Earl's 

 Court and subsequently and finally, the new and beautiful 

 hall of the Royal Horticultural Society, Vincent Square, 

 London, have been the place of venue for the 

 exhibition. Here, the Society appears to be quite at 

 home, ample accommodation being provided for the 

 proper exhibition of the flowers. 



Before concluding this brief historical record of what 

 has been done in the past, we must call special attention 



