i8th January, A. D. 1894. 



ESSAY 



BY 



Rev. W. T. HUTCHINS, Indian Orchard, Mass. 



Theme : — Sweet Peas and other Floivers. 



Talking with Mr. Clark, of Peter Henderson & Co., last summer, 

 we estimated that 100 tons of Sweet Pea seed were sold in this 

 country last year. I think now that will be more nearly the cor- 

 rect estimate another year. Our large seed-houses now handle it by 

 the ton. Burpee had seven tons last year, and will have about the 

 same this year. One Pacific grower grew 30 acres of Henderson's 

 New White, making about three tons of that alone. One Pacific 

 grower will have 200 acres of the various sorts this year, and the 

 other will not be far behind. I should estimate that all the other 

 growers of Sweet Pea seed in this country will make 150 acres more. 

 The aggregate product, if we have a good season, ought to be about 

 55 tons, or 200 pounds per acre, which is but the beginning of this 

 new business in our country. Last year the English supply gave out 

 and they cabled to Burpee for all he could spare. 



It seems rather anomalous for a grower to be shovelling out three 

 tons of one variety and to be paying $5.00 per 100 seeds for another 

 variety, as they have been glad to do for several of Eckford's new 

 sorts which I have just sent them. This represents the two polar 

 facts in the progress we are making in floriculture. I dare not esti- 

 mate what the demand is to be in this country, for I am constantly 

 hearing of amateurs and private gardens where the Sweet Pea is 

 grown almost as abundantly as the culinary pea. And as soon as 

 people master the few difficulties in growing this flower, they want to 

 revel in them and supply the whole neighborhood. What will even 

 1,000 acres of Sweet Peas be for this country's supply? It will be 

 about one-quarter of an ounce to each family. A large estimate of 



