XXXIV 



ON SWEET PEAS 



THE Pea is one of the oldest of garden plants, but the 

 Sweet Pea has only been grown in British gardens for 

 a little more than two hundred years. The first Sweet 

 Pea of which any record exists was sent to Dr. Uvedale, 

 a schoolmaster at Enfield, who took great interest in 

 plants, by a Sicilian monk, named Franciscus Cupani, 

 in 1699. It was received with interest rather than 

 enthusiasm. The flower, though fragrant, was small 

 and irregular, and the colour purple was not brilliant. 

 It is probable that Uvedale's interest in the plant was 

 that of the botanist rather than the gardener. It was 

 a new plant, and he would experience a certain pride 

 in the reflection that he, and not such mighty prede- 

 cessors as Ray, Gerard, and Parkinson, had had the 

 honour of being the first recipient. He would draw 

 the attention of botanists to it complacently, dissect it, 

 describe it in great detail, fuss over it generally, and 

 never, probably, form the slightest conception of its 

 great future. 



To-day the Sweet Pea is one of the most popular 

 of garden flowers. It is grown by more people than 

 any other plant. All classes cultivate it. Everybody 

 loves it. It is charming in form, beautiful and varied 

 in colour, deliciously sweet, and open to culture by 

 everybody. The most successful growers of Sweet Peas 

 are found in the owners of small gardens, with only a 



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