304 LEGUMINOUS PLANTS. 



few years. Unlike many of the dwarf varieties, it is a most 

 productive sort ; and thus its dwarf character is not its chief 

 recommendation. For private gardens, or for cultivation for 

 market, few peas surpass this and Bishop's Long-podded. 



Carter's Vic- Plant six to seven feet high ; pods slightly 

 toria. Trans, . & . ' v 



curved, containing seven or eight large peas, 



which are sweet, and of excellent quality. The ripe seeds 

 are white, and much shrivelled or wrinkled. 



Plants from seeds sown May 1 blossomed July 1, and the 

 pods were fit for plucking the 18th of the month. 



The variety continues long in bearing, and the peas ex- 

 ceed in size those of Knight's Tall White Marrow. It is 

 one of the best late tall peas. 



Charlton. The original character of this variety may 



Cot.Gard. Law. ,,.,,,,,, J 



Thomp. be described as follows : 



EARLY CHAKLTON. 



Plant five feet high, and of vigorous growth ; 

 leaves large, with short petioles ; tendrils small ; pods broad, 

 containing six or seven peas of excellent quality. They 

 are rather larger than those of the Early Frame, with which 

 this is often confounded. The Early Charlton is, however, 

 a fortnight later than the Early Frame ; so that, when sown 

 at the same time, it forms a succession. 



The various names by which it has been known are Read- 

 ing Hotspur, Master's orFlander's Hotspur, Golden Hotspur, 

 Brompton Hotspur, Essex Hotspur, Early Nicol's Hotspur, 

 Charlton Hotspur, and finally Early Charlton, the last name 

 becoming general about 1750. 



An English writer remarks, " that the variety now exists 

 only in name. That which is sold for the Early Charlton is 

 often a degenerated stock of Early Frames, or any stock of 

 .Frames which cannot be warranted or depended upon, but 

 which are, nevertheless, of such a character as to admit of 

 their being grown as garden varieties. The Early Charlton, 

 if grown at all by seed-growers as a distinct variety, is cer- 

 tainly cultivated to a very limited extent." 



