CHAPTER X 

 SWEET PEAS AND THEIR CULTURE 



The sweet pea has very properly been termed the 

 queen of all annuals. It is a magnificent flower, and 

 its culture is comparatively simple. So much so 

 that even amateurs secure with it most gratifying 

 results. The sweet pea is native of Sicily, and has 

 been known hundreds of years. The story goes that 

 an Italian monk, by the name of Franciscus Cupani, 

 sent seeds to England as early as 1699, and their 

 real culture dates from that period. In 1870 im- 

 petus was given the culture through the work of 

 Henry Eckford of England. Another improver was 

 the well-known plant specialist, Thomas Laxton of 

 England. In 1901, Silas Cole of England set the 

 trade agog by bringing out the now famous 

 Countess Spencer, which was a great improvement 

 in size, texture, color and conformation. This was 

 introduced in 1904, and now there are many sports 

 from the Countess Spencer variety which are prov- 

 ing very popular. Enterprising seedsmen in Amer- 

 ica were not long in taking up the improvements 

 brought out in England, the well-known firm of W. 

 A. Burpee of Pennsylvania perhaps taking the lead. 

 This firm alone has a two-acre garden given over 

 exclusively to the cultivation of sweet peas. 

 George W. Kerr, who has had many years' experi- 

 ence in England with the flower, recently edited a 

 little booklet for the Burpee firm, which gives many 

 helpful pointers on sweet peas. 



