130 HISTORY OF SWEET PEA BLANCHE FERRY 



and the practical Zvolanek, who had the stock in his 

 hands, did not allow the grass to grow under his feet. 

 Within two years he had three houses filled with the new 

 Winter-flowering Peas, and New York market began to be 

 well supplied with the blooms. 



Other crosses and selections were made, some of which 

 were exhibited before the New York Florists' Club, and 

 one, Florence E. Denzer, was registered with the Society 

 of American Florists & Ornamental Horticulturists in De- 

 cember, 1900. Mr. Zvolanek said of it: " This excellent 

 sport surpasses its mother, Zvolanek's Christmas, in the 

 size of its flowers, as well as in the length of stem, pro- 

 ducing over 20 per cent, of its blooms with four flowers, 

 on very long stems." 



Progress from now onward was steady, the Christmas 

 variety being largely employed with others to get a wide 

 range of colors. Selections were also made the whole 

 time toward the improvement of the size and strength of 

 the flowers. Mr. Zvolanek still continues his work ; but 

 is now in California. 



HISTORY OF SWEET PEA BLANCHE FERRY 



The history of Blanche Ferry, already mentioned, is 

 interesting, and it has played a vitally important part in 

 the development of the indoor type of Pea. It was the 

 most grown variety in some of the markets. Until 1896 

 and later there was not sufficient of any other Winter Sweet 

 Pea grown, at least in the Chicago region, to create a 

 demand for them. The honor of having created this 

 great American variety does not belong to any one whose 

 name is blazoned on the horticultural scroll of fame, but 

 to a humble woman, a quarryman's wife in Jefferson Co., 

 New York, who was fond of flowers, and had a natural 



