CHAPTER IX 



THE NEW SWEET PEA GROWING 



THE development of the Sweet Pea has been one of the 

 floral wonders of modern times. A plant of a dozen or 

 so varieties, bearing stems a foot long at the most, and 

 with an average of two small flowers per spray, has 

 grown into one of nearly a thousand sorts, with 2-feet 

 stems carrying four and five huge blooms each. Further, 

 the range of colours has been extended greatly. 



The Sweet Pea is, indeed, a totally different and 

 more beautiful flower than it was at the end of the nine- 

 teenth century. The only quality in which there has been 

 no improvement is fragrance. It is doubtful, indeed, if 

 we are as well off in that respect as we used to be. It 

 is true that all modern Sweet Peas are pleasantly per- 

 fumed, but we do not find in every variety the rich, full, 

 delicious fragrance of old sorts like the once-popular 

 lavender Lady Grisell Hamilton. It would be too much 

 to say that as Sweet Peas increase in size odour is lost 

 in inverse ratio, and there does not seem to be any 

 immediate danger of the flower ceasing to be perfumed ; 

 but the quality of fragrance is so precious that Sweet 

 Pea lovers who appear to be unduly apprehensive may 

 be readily pardoned. 



The flower-lover who admires Sweet Peas, and has 

 watched with interest their upward progress, may wonder 

 whether they owe most to new varieties or to fresh 

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