UP-TO-DATE CULTIVATION FOR MARKET IN ENGLAND I If 



Until recent times the commercial grower in Eng- 

 land was content to grow Sweet Peas as he did other 

 things, that is to say, he produced the best he could without 

 any special pains being taken. The best growers natu- 

 rally obtained a superior grade of bloom, but in such cases 

 it was due more or less to good cultivation and the allow- 

 ance of space between the plants. When, however, the 

 amateur exhibitors and the Sweet Pea specialists started 

 producing the very long-stemmed flowers, limited qualities 

 of which found their way into the markets, it naturally 

 followed that certain keen market growers began to inquire 

 into things. 



The indoor grower of ordinary blooms who thought 

 he was doing well if he made 6/- ($1.50) to 8/- ($2) a gross 

 early in May, opened his eyes when double and treble 

 these prices were obtained for blooms the like of which 

 had only been seen at exhibitions. 



During the past two or three years several growers 

 have made an attempt to produce such blooms under glass, 

 but generally speaking, no bona-fide cut flower grower has 

 yet succeeded in equaling the specialists — like Damerum, 

 Alsen, or Dobbie & Co. Not a few have been turning out 

 some really fine sprays, but if prices soared above 12/- ($3) 

 it was safe to say that the flowers had come from a grower 

 who was not entirely dependent upon the cut flower business. 



So far as the writer is aware, the highest figure made 

 for Sweet Peas in Covent Garden in the Spring of 19 14 

 was 18/- ($4.50) for 12 bunches, containing one gross of 

 stems. These were indoor grown, their season lasting from 

 the latter end of April to mid- June, when the outdoor crop 

 came in and depressed prices. 



The finest of the outdoor blooms came toward the 

 latter end of June, and the prices ranged from 6/- ($1.50) 



