November 21, 1S72. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



401 



seven to eight pods singly, each of which contain from six to 

 eight deep green peas ; they are full, nmch curved, and of a 

 deep green colour, resembling those of William I. The ripe 

 seed, is round, indented, and bluish green. 



This is the earliest of the Imperial class, and comes into use 

 ten days before Fairbeard's Surprise, which has been for many 

 years the earliest of all this section. 



Blue Peter. — This has the habit and growth of Tom Thumb, 

 and is only one day later. It is from a foot to li foot high, pro- 

 ducing eight to ten large, broad, finely-coloured pods, which 

 contain generally from five to sis large peas, but they are liable 

 to fill irregularly. 



This may be called a larger, better, and earlier form of Tom 

 Thumb, with round blue seed. It was introduced by Messrs. 

 Carter & Co., and was so appreciated this season by the Fruit 

 Committee of the Royal Horticultural Society as to receive a 

 first-class certificate. 



Griffin. — This is another of Mr. Laxton's new Peas, but it 

 does not possess the merit which characterises the generality of 

 the race. The plant is 3 to 4 feet high, and in habit resembles 

 the Frame class. The stem is simple, producing fourteen to 

 sixteen pods, which are generally in pairs, each containing six 

 to seven medium-sized peas, which are pale green, tinged with 

 darker green, giving them a mottled appearance ; the flavour is 

 very inferior. Ripe seed smaD, deep green, mottled with 

 darker green. This is seven days later than Nimrod, and four 

 days earlier than Fairbeard's Surprise. 



Fairbeard's Surprise (Surprise ; Early Surprise). — This va- 

 riety and the Champion of England were raised from two peas 

 found in the same pod ; the former being round, and the latter 

 wrinkled. They were selected by Mr. William Fairbeard, of 

 Green Street, near Sittingbourne, from a crop of Dwarf White 

 Knight's Marrows, a plant of which had exhibited a more than 

 usual early character. 



Surprise is a very excellent early Marrow Pea, somewhat 

 earlier than Champion of England, but not more so than a day 

 or two at most. The plant is of free but not robust habit of 

 growth, and always with a simple stem, which is about 5 feet 

 high. The pods are produced at every joint, beginning at about 

 3 feet from the ground, and number from eight to ten on each 

 plant. They are generally single, but sometimes in pairs, from 

 3i to 31 inches long, and three-quarters of an inch broad, slightly 

 curved, but not quite so much so as Champion of England and 

 Paradise Marrow. They contain from seven to eight peas in 

 each, which are of a good size, but not so sweet as those of 

 Champion of England. The ripe seed is somewhat oval, and of 

 a pale olive-green colour. At first the pods are so flat as to give 

 the idea that the peas are not sufficiently grown, but notwith- 

 standing this appearance they are quite fit to be gathered. 



Till lately this was the earliest of all the blue Peas, but now 

 it is surpassed by the new varieties of Mr. Laxton. It is very 

 much superior to the following. 



Harrison's Glory. — The only distinction between this and 

 Harrison's Perfection is the blue-coloured seed, that of the latter 

 being white. They differ in no other respect, being of the same 

 Sleight, equally productive of pods, which always fill very badly, 

 and both come into use at the same time. 



Harrison's Royal Blue. — This is one of those singular Peas 

 which in some of its parts is devoid of glauceseence. In its 

 general aspect it is not unlike Danecrof t Rival ; but while that 

 variety is quite glabrous, this is only so in the stem, stipules, 

 and pods, the leaves themselves retaining the usual glaucous 

 hue. 



The plant is moderately robust, about 3 feet high, producing 

 from fourteen to sixteen short, broad, slightly curved pods, 

 which fill badly and irregularly, having only four to five peas in 

 each, of very inferior quality. Ripe seed large, round, blue, 

 flattened, and indented. 



This is two days later than Fairbeard's Surprise. 



Burbidse's Eclipse [Stubbs' Dwarf). — The plant is a robust 

 grower, always with a simple stem, attaining the height of 1J 

 to about 2 feet. Pods in pairs, rarely single, and from 3 to 

 3% inches long, seven-tenths of an inch broad, perfectly straight, 

 and of equal width throughout, with a slight waving on the 

 upper edge. They contain from five to seven peas, which are 

 ovate, nine-twentieths of an inch long, seven-twentieths broad, 

 and the same in thickness. 



This Pea was raised in the neighbourhood of Canterbury by a 

 person of the name of Stubbs, and hence called Stubbs' Dwarf, 

 under which name we grew it nearly thirty years ago, before it 

 came out under that of Burbidge's Eclipse, and which was given 

 to it by Mr. Burbidge, a nurseryman at Buckland, near Dover. 



This and Blue Peter are the dwarfest of the blue Peas, but 

 Burbidge's Eclipse is about five or six days later than Blue 

 Peter. 



Mogul. — This is the result of a cross obtained by Mr. Laxton 

 between Prolific Long Pod and Little Gem. The plant resembles 

 Burbidge's Eclipse in its growth, and is from 18 inches to 2 feet 

 high. The stem is branched, producing eight to ten pods, which 

 are generally in pairs. The pods are long, much curved and 



pointed, plump and rounded, of a fine green colour, and con- 

 taining from six to eight medium-sized peas. Ripe seed blue, 

 large, round, and indented. 

 This is a very handsome and prolific^Pea, but inferior. 



Mogul. 



Fillbaskot. 



Fillbasket. — This is a cross between Laxton's Standard and 

 Supreme. The plant is very robust, vigorous, and 3 feet high ; 

 the stem branching, and producing from twelve to fourteen pods 

 generally in pairs, and which are very long, curved, rounded, of 

 a fine bright green colour, closely filled with from seven to nine 

 bright green peas of good size. 



This large, handsome, and very prolific Pea comes into use 

 at the same time as Bedman's Imperial. It received a first-class 

 certificate from the Royal Horticultural Society. 



Flack's Imperial (Flack's Victory ; Flack's Victoria). — The 

 plant is of a robust habit of growth, with a stem which is always 

 branching, and generally about 3 feet in height. The pods are 

 very numerous, varying from twelve to eighteen on each plant. 

 They are generally produced in pairs, but also frequently singly, 

 and are from 3J to 3£ inches long, three-quarters of an inch 

 broad, and considerably curved, but not so much so as the Scimi- 

 tar, and, unlike that variety, the pod is terminated abruptly at 

 the point, where it is somewhat broader than at any other part. 

 Each pod contains from six to eight very large peas, which are 

 of an ovate shape, half an inch long, seven-twentieths broad, 

 and the same in thickness. The ripe seed is blue. 



This variety, introduced about thirty years ago as an improve- 

 ment on Bedman's Imperial, appears now to represent the 

 varieties formerly known as Blue Imperial and Bedman's Im- 

 perial, and deservedly so, for it is the only one of the name 

 really worth growing when true, and it requires careful selection 

 to keep it so, from its tendency to degenerate into Blue Prussian. 



Bedman's Imperial. — This for many years was the Imperial 

 par excellence, but now it is far surpassed by the preceding 

 variety ; indeed, it is not worth growing. 



The plant generally produces a single stem, which is from 

 3 to 4 feet high. The pods are generally in pairs, but some- 

 times single ; 3J inches long, five-eighths of an inch broad, some- 

 what curved, and terminating abruptly at the point. Each 

 pod contains from six to seven peas, whi#h are of an ovate shape, 



