SWEET PEA 



SWEET I'KA 



1753 



primrose-cream, buff-cream, l>nH'-]iink, various shades 

 of light pink, deah-pink, rose-pine, several shades of 

 bright rose, scarlet, crimson-scarlet, rich blood-red, 

 light blue, mauve-blue, dark blue, lavender, salmon- 

 pink and also light ruse, with more or less rich infusion 

 of orange, purple, magenta, maroon with bronzy cast or 

 rich velvety etl'ect, and shades of violet. All of these 

 are found in passably good sell's and also in contrasted 

 and blended colors, and all these colors are now found 

 in stripes and flakes. In I8'.):i the tirst dwarf Sweet Pea 

 called Cupid was found in California, the white first ap- 

 pearing, and now practically all colors have been found 

 in this diminutive form. In this form of sporting the 

 plant totally abandons its vine habit, making a mat of 

 dwarf foliage, the blossoms being of the usual size, but 

 with very short stems. 



The best canon of judgment gives no encouragement 

 to the so-called "double" Sweet Pea, the grandiflora 

 single form being the approved type, as it certainly is 

 the most graceful and best adapted to the flower. The 

 highest form of development which the Sweet Pea takes 

 is tirst in bringing the single flower to the best grandi- 

 flora size and form, and then in adding to the number 

 of flowers on the stem. The improved Sweet Pea now 

 takes on 4 blossoms to a stem to some extent, and even 

 5 blossoms to a true single stem are not unknown. The 

 length and diameter of the stem are also important 

 in determining merit. Stems 14 in. long are occasion- 

 ally exhibited, and the flower cannot be said to have 

 high culture unless the stems are well on towards 10 

 inches in length. The finest grandiriora type of blossom 

 has a standard which when pressed out will be nearly 

 circular and will cover a silver dollar. The finest 

 exhibition stock will now show some blossoms that 

 measure 1% in. across. 



Now that this flower is grown for the highest com- 

 petitive test of skill, the rules for judging an exhibit 

 are of importance. Although no scale of points has 

 received general recognition, yet, allowing that each 

 variety must be judged according to the correct indi- 

 vidual type under which it was introduced, size of 

 blossom, color, form, substance, number of blossoms on 

 the stem and size of 

 stem, are the essential 

 points. The retrograde 

 of stock is easily shown 

 by the loss of full 

 rounded outline, reflexed 

 standard and deterior- 

 ated substance. De- 

 scriptive terms have 

 been adopted by the 

 growers to some extent, 

 e. g., blossoms take the 

 old common form, or are 

 semi - expanded, boldly 

 expanded, hooded, 

 notched, shell-shaped, or 

 grandiflora. Position of 

 blossoms on the stem is 

 also a point aimed at by 

 the specialist. 



A good degree of suc- 

 cess is now reported from 

 ordinary gardens every- 

 where in the growing of 

 this flower. Yet since it 

 has been brought to its 

 present highly hybrid- 

 ized and developed 

 stage some of its hardy 

 habits that formerly 

 made it easy to grow 

 have been reduced. 

 Closer attention must 

 now be paid to such rules 

 of culture as have been 

 found necessary. Tolerably rich soil inclining to a clay 

 loam is best. Over-enriching will be likely to cause an 

 excess of vine growth at the expense of bloom. In all 

 light soil, firming the ground by treading or rolling it 

 will be found a preventive of the early blight. The time 

 for planting is as early as possible, the ground having 



been prepared in the fall, and the seed going in as soon 

 as the frost is out. This first planting should be covered 

 one inch, the place where the row comes being hollowed 

 out about three inches to hold moisture. A later plant- 

 ing needs to be covered with three inches of soil. Slow 



2142. Gaiety Sweet Pea. 



2443. Red Riding Hood Sweet Pea. 



germination and almost a standstill condition through 

 the month of May is better than any forcing process. 

 Only the thinnest top-soil should be disturbed in hoeing 

 and no soil filled in earlier than June, if at all. Cut- 

 worms must be shown no quarter. A light mulch is 

 excellent for shading the ground. Whatever support is 

 given the vines must be strong and six feet high. A 

 wire trellis answers well, but good birches give the 

 vines a chance to ramble and they are cooler and more 

 airy. Rows should run north and south. All the 

 strength of the vines should be conserved by keeping 

 the pods removed. \Y". T. HUTCHINS. 



CALIFORNIA'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SWEET PEA. 

 The pink and white Sweet Pea, or, as it was popularly 

 known, the "Painted Lady," is an old-time garden 

 favorite which was greatly esteemed by flower lovers 

 for its beautiful coloring and delightful fragrance. 

 This type, with the old style white-flowered kind and a 

 few small-flowered sorts of dull and unattractive color- 

 ing, constituted for many years the entire assortment 

 of varieties known to gardeners. When any one spoke 

 of the Sweet Pea the Painted Lady was understood, in 

 the same way that in speaking of a tea rose the favorite 

 Safrano was the variety always referred to. In the past 

 twelve years all this has been changed by the wonderful 

 improvements made by specialists in the development 

 of this flower and its consequent popularity. Our list 

 of varieties of the tall-growing or running type now 

 numbers over 180 varieties. 



This great improvement is due primarily to the work 

 of Henry Eckford, of England, who has improved 

 the Sweet Pea mainly by selection. The Laxtons also 

 sent out a number of crosses, which were very distinct 

 in coloring but of small size, and though the colors 

 were rich they were not attractive. Owing to the 

 climatic conditions under which he worked and his 

 greater interest in the improvement of the flower, Mr. 

 Eckford has not produced seed in sufficient quantities 

 to greatly cheapen the price, and this element of popu- 

 larity has been supplied by our own wonderland of 

 flowers California. In California, finely ripened seed 

 can be produced in such large quantities that in two 



