HISTORY AND EVOLUTION u 



sweet peas; but more varieties came in 

 slowly. Every flower, however, that has 

 won popular favor has had at least one 

 great genius to develop it. The greatest 

 genius in sweet peas was Henry Eckford, 

 who commenced crossing the best obtain- 

 able varieties about 1878, and began to 

 sell new varieties in 1883. Steadily he 

 kept at work until, at his death in 1905, 

 although the number had increased to 

 more than three hundred, he was to be 

 credited with originating most of the lead- 

 ing varieties. About 1890, the American 

 sweet pea growers began to appreciate the 

 beautiful varieties Mr. Eckford was send- 

 ing out and there was a wave of popularity 

 for the flower. The discovery that Cali- 

 fornia had a favorable climate for the pro- 

 duction of sweet pea seed enabled the 

 seedsmen to supply the greatly increased 

 demand. This development has con- 



