SHELLING PEAS 495 



solitary, white, and of medium size ; pods straight, about 2 in. long, 

 somewhat square at the end, each containing from five to seven 

 very round peas, which are slightly green or sometimes salmon- 

 coloured when ripe. A peculiarity oF this variety is that the 

 flower, which makes its appearance lowest down on the stem, often 

 withers without expanding, and sometimes, when it does open well, 

 it is not until after the flower at the joint above it has come out. 

 This variety is the earliest of all the kinds commonly grown in 

 France. In England a sub- variety, named Dillistone's Early, is 

 grown, which is three or four days earlier, but the plant is slenderer 

 and less productive. The present variety is the best for an early 

 crop in the open air. 



Rural New Yorker Pea. The American variety known 

 under the above name comes so very near to the Albert Pea that 

 it can scarcely be called a distinct variety. It flowers one or two 

 days later than the Albert, but the pods are ready for use at the 

 same time. 



Lightning Pea. A very early variety, 30 to 36 in. high, with 

 rather slender single stem, podding close to the soil like all the 

 earliest varieties. It resembles somewhat the Prince Albert Pea ; 

 and bears usually seven or eight tiers of solitary long-stalked 

 flowers. The pods are \\ to 2j in. long, straight, rounded at the 

 end, well filled, containing from six to eight round salmon-coloured 

 peas. 



Sangster's No. i, or Improved Early Champion, Pea. 

 Probably the offspring of the First and Best, and somewhat larger 

 and more productive, but not quite so early. It usually comes 

 into flower two days later. It often produces the pods in pairs, 

 and they are somewhat longer and broader than those of the 

 preceding kind. The peas are white and round. This variety is 

 very liable to degenerate, and it should be very carefully isolated, 

 when grown for seed purposes, to keep it true. In the vicinity of 

 Paris it is rather extensively grown for market supply. It is not 

 so productive as the Early Emperor Pea, but has the advantage of 

 coming in four or five days earlier. 



Daniel O'Rourke Pea. Stem 2 to 2j ft. high ; leaves some- 

 what larger, rounder, and lighter coloured than those of Sangster's 

 No. I ; flowers white, rather large, solitary, commencing to appear 

 at the sixth joint of the stem ; pods somewhat longer and broader 

 than those of Sangster's No. I ; peas rather large, becoming a 

 greenish white or salmon-colour when ripe. This variety is quite 

 as early as the preceding one, and about equally good. The two 

 kinds are very closely allied, and are sometimes confused with 

 each other, although a well-marked difference may be observed by 

 any one who studies them carefully. The Daniel O'Rourke may 

 be easily recognised by the stems terminating abruptly above a 



