CHAPTER XI 



Outline of the History of Winter-flowering 

 Sweet Peas 



Nearly forty years ago a writer in "The Gardener," a 

 British monthly publication edited by David Thomson, 

 described his treatment of Sweet Peas in pots. (See issue 

 for March, 1876, page 140). By sowing the varieties of 

 his day in large pots in March, he had them in flower 

 throughout a large part of the Summer and until late in 

 October. " I had a dozen potfuls," he says, " coming into 

 bloom about the end of October out of doors, but the 

 situation being subject to inundations, they had the mis- 

 fortune to be three days under water, and they never 

 recovered from the effects of this. Under more favorable 

 circumstances, and with the assistance of a little warmth, 

 I feel certain they might have been in full blossom at 

 Christmas." After this one would have expected to hear 

 more of Sweet Peas for Winter blooming, but much water 

 was to flow under the bridges before a race of early-flowering 

 varieties had been produced and made it possible to have 

 blooms all Winter. 



The origin of the present strains dates from about 

 1892, and the man above all others who placed this type 

 on a commercial basis and brought it to the notice of the 

 trade at large was Anton C. Zvolanek. He is a native of 

 Krucemburg, Bohemia, and has had a love of flowers from 

 his youth up. In 1876 he went to Vienna as a florist, 

 and in the Autumn of 1888 came to America. Later he 



