THE SWEET PEA. 51 



Adonis, put out by Carter about 1884. The name Dark Red 

 is fro]n Benary, of Erfurt, and was a development doubtless 

 from the original red. 



We come now to the history of the Sweet Pea of today. Henry 

 Eckford, of Wem, Shropshire, England, started into the specializ- 

 ing of this flower about 1876, the earliest notice of his offering 

 anything being 1882. Mr. Laxton, of Bedford, also started in 

 this race. Exact dates are not easy to determine. Novelties are 

 exhibited at the flower shows sometimes two or three years 

 before their introduction to the trade. Bronze Prince was cer- 

 tificated to Mr. Eckford in 1882. Carmine Rose, put out by 

 Hurst, was certificated in 1883. But Mr. Eckford has dropped 

 out everything offered before 1885. His really creditable intro- 

 ductions began with this date to be offered in rapid succession. 

 Names of his that he has ceased to list are Bronze Prince, Queen 

 of the Isles (this is still listed by the trade, but not by Mr. 

 Eckford), Miss Ethel (long since dropped), Mauve Queen (the 

 name under which Countess of Radnor was first certificated). 



A word here about Mr. Laxton's work, before speaking more 

 particularly of Mr. Eckford's. Mr. Laxton's son told me that his 

 father had made a large number of crosses in Sweet Pea work, 

 but with little satisfaction. He introduced Invincible Carmine 

 and Invincible Blue, but the Laxton varieties now of most decided 

 m-erit, having some originality of color, are Etna and Madame 

 •Carnot, 1891, Carmen Sylva and Rising Sun, 1892, and Princess 

 May, 1893. 



And now for Mr. Eckford : " The Garden," of London, has just 

 paid him the compliment of dedicating its fiftieth volume to him. 

 Mr. Eckford is now seventy-four years old. I found him at his 

 pleasant Wem home in apparent patriarchal vigor in the summer 

 of 1895, but since then his health has been broken and his work 

 is probably done. His son John Stainer Eckford will succeed to 

 the business. " The Garden '' recites the record of Mr. Eckford's 

 service from 1839 to 1897 in the employ of various gentlemen of 

 title and wealth. I will insert here this valuable record verba- 

 tim : 



" Mr. Henry Eckford was born at Stonehouse, in the parish of 

 Liberton, near Edinburgh, on May 17, 1823. In December, 1839, 

 he was sent as an apprentice to the gardens of Lord Lovat, Beau- 

 fort Castle, Inverness, where he remained for three years. He 



