22 THE BOOK OF THE SWEET PEA 



by Messrs Watkins & Simpson of Covent Garden, and 

 was commended in 1904. John Ingman was on this 

 occasion granted a First-Class Certificate. Sweet Peas 

 with waved standards continued each year to receive 

 attention, the years 1905 and 1906 being responsible 

 for the introduction of, among others, Helen Lewis, 

 Mrs Charles Foster, Mrs Hardcastle Sykes, Audrey 

 Crier, and Etta Dyke. 



During the same period the striking flowers of Queen 

 Alexandra were exhibited and the marbled variety 

 Helen Pierce. The nearest approach to a so-called 

 yellow was also seen in the new Mrs Collier, which has 

 already been superseded. The three varieties above- 

 mentioned and St George are representatives of the 

 erect, smooth standard type of the Sweet Peas. 



Evelyn Hemus was a notable novelty of the waved 

 type exhibited in 1907. 



The Spencers and Unwins are sure to increase in 

 popular esteem. The pleasing tones of colour, and the 

 butterfly-like form of the blossoms possess a charm that 

 is absent in the more even flowers of the Eckfordian 

 type, so beloved of the older florists. The display of 

 the waved flowers at the 1908 show of the National 

 Sweet Pea Society was a feature of more than ordinary 

 interest. Doubtless, in time, we shall have other varia- 

 tions ; but in giving encouragement to them, care must 

 be taken that the robust character of the Sweet Peas 

 is retained. 



In closing, it is only fair that special reference should 

 be made to the work of our American cousins. They 

 have worked hard and enthusiastically in the interest of 

 Sweet Pea lovers. To them we are indebted for an 

 immense quantity of seed raised year by year, by which 

 means many of the choicer varieties are the more 

 speedily available for the small and sometimes im- 

 pecunious grower, who loves the Sweet Peas quite as 



