DESCRIPTIONS OF VARIETIES 



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After 1850 strains, or names, appeared rapidly, 

 one or more every year or two, in this country, in 

 England, or on the Continent, most of the foreign 

 varieties being soon brought to America. Leading 

 varieties in the succession were: Sangster No. 1, 

 Daniel O'Rourke, Dillistone Early, First Crop and 

 Ringleader i identical ), Dickson First and Best, Caracta- 

 cus, Philadelphia Extra Early, Hartford (or East 

 Hartford' Extra Early, Dexter (or Early Dexter), 

 Ferry First and Best, Henderson First of All, Rural 

 New Yorker, Breck Excelsior, Maud S, Burpee Extra 

 Early, Lightning, Pedigree Extra Early, First in Market, 

 and Summit. Many of these were found on sale in the 

 United States in 1889, according to Bailey's Annals of 

 Horticulture of that year; as were several others, of 

 which it has been impossible to obtain exact dates of 

 origin: Bergen Fleetwing, Premier Extra Early, Eureka 

 Extra Early, Extra Early Challenge, Extra Early Market, 

 Extra Earlies with names of seedsmen prefixed, as well 

 as the name Extra Early alone in many other seedsmen's 

 catalogs. First and Best and Iowa Challenge. 



In the next ten or twelve years, preceding the 

 publication of Tracy's list, several more varieties were 

 introduced, the most prominent being Electric (second), 

 John L, Sunol, Extra Early Pioneer, Lightning Express, 

 McLean First and Best, and Rice Extra Early. Bulletin 

 No. 21 of the Division of Plant Industry, U. S. Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, listed the varieties of vegetables 

 offered in all obtainable American seedsmen's catalogs 

 of 1901 or 1902. In this Tracy records Extra Early 

 alone as listed in 68 catalogs; Extra Early with the 

 seedsmen's names prefixed, in 27 cases; and 37 other 

 varieties previously mentioned in the history of the 

 group. Since that time several others have appeared: 

 First Early, Special Extra Early, Keeney Extra Early, 

 Wonderful Extra Early, Giant Lightning, Saxonia or 

 Ohio Chief, Blue Ribbon Chieftain, Record Breaker, 

 and Eversure. 



MAJOR VARIETIES IN EXTRA EARLY GROUP 



Hotspur.— Refs. 2-8; Booth Car. 1810; Russell 

 Cat. 1827; Landreth Cars. 1828 and 1832. The 

 history of Hotspur is well indicated in that of the Extra 

 Early group; to which may be added its early appearance 

 in America as recorded by Randolph under its synonym, 

 Ormond [Omerod's?], and by Booth, Russell and Lan- 

 dreth. Descriptions of it are scanty, beginning with that 

 of the Fuller, Stacy, Blackwell catalog, " — the speed- 

 iest of growth of any, that being sown about the middle 

 of May will in six weeks time return ripe again 

 into your hands." In 1778 is was noted as of moderate 

 growth, 3 or 4 feet with dwarf forms only half as much, 

 and excellent bearing. Landreth, in 1832, says Hotspur 

 closely resembles Charlton; the Messrs. Lawson in 

 1836 describe the pods as generally in pairs, three inches 

 long and one-half inch broad, nearly straight and well 

 filled with peas similar to but larger than those of Double- 

 blossomed Frame. Name and strain are no longer used. 



Charlton. Refs. 7 (in part), 9-11; and Booth 

 Cat. 1810; Gard. Mag. (Loudon): No. 77. 1836. 



(rptd. from Trans. Hort. Soc. 2nd ser. 1:396); Sin- 

 clair Car. 1839; Burr Fid. Gard. Veg. 528. 1863 (citing 

 Lawson, 1836); Gard. Chron. 198. 1850 and 292. 

 1865. Charlton is inextricably mixed with Hotspur 

 in the history of the group. It was listed by American 

 seedsmen in 1810 and in 1839; and Burr described it at 

 some length, his description and another made in Eng- 

 land in 1836 being very similar. Burr says: 



Plant about 5 feet high, of vigorous growth; leaves large with 

 short petioles; tendrils small; pods broad containing 6 or 7 peas 

 of excellent ['.'] quality, rather larger than those of Early Frame 

 " with which this is often confounded. It may, however, be dis- 

 tinguished by its stronger habit of growth, flat pods, larger seeds, 

 and by being fit for use about a fortnight later than the Early 

 Frame." 



It is elsewhere said to be very prolific, the best pea 

 for standing winter |in England], continues much longer 

 in bearing than Early Frame and varies greatly under 

 different conditions. Burr indicates clearly the con- 

 nection of Hill's, Hovey's and Landreth's Extra Earlies 

 and Daniel O'Rourke with Charlton, Hotspur and 

 Early Frame. The Gardener's Chronicle maintains 

 distinctions between Charlton and Early Frame, giving 

 differences as above; but says, later, practically identical 

 with Prince Albert. 



Early Frame. Refs. 12-25; Booth Cat. 1810; 

 Landreth Car. 1832; Gard. Mag. (Loudon): No. 27. 

 1836. (rptd. from Trans. Hort. Soc. 2nd ser. 1:396); 

 Burr Fid. Gard. Veg. 534. 1863; Vilmorin-Andrieux 

 Les PI. Pot. 429. 1883. In England Early Frame sup- 

 planted Charlton about 1770; but, as with Hotspur 

 and Charlton, the next references we find to it are in 

 America, where it was listed by Booth, Sinclair and 

 Landreth, before the long list of its synonyms was 

 printed in the Horticultural Register. Rogers says 

 this pea was first noticed accidentally by a mechanic, 

 in a field of Early Charlton peas, near Wingham, in 

 Kent. He spoke of the pea to Mr. Russell, proprietor 

 of the Lewisham Nursery, who developed a stock for 

 his customers. The early Double -blossomed Frame 

 was a chance seedling of the single-blossomed form. 

 " With both sorts hundreds of acres have been annually 

 sown in the neighborhood of Dartford, in Kent, for 

 the supply of the London Markets, during the season 

 for which wagon loads in sacks are continually going 

 night and day." 



In the Horticultural Register reference Early 

 Frame was dismissed very shortly, as " too well known 

 for detailed description; " but it was said to be four or 

 five feet tall, only moderate in yield, and one of the 

 earliest, with white seeds of medium size. 



" The great number of synonyms is probably 

 explained by seedsmen giving their own particular title 

 or name to such a good early pea " — a practice not 

 altogether unknown in America ! Another fragment of 

 description adds: 



Vines slender; pods small, round; peas mostly 4 to 5; very 

 prolific; of excellent quality; and calls it the earliest pea. 



Burr's description of the pea in America adds 

 some particulars: 



