DESCRIPTIONS OF VARIETIES 



37 



so similar to those of Dwarf Branching Marrow that in 

 1849 the new-old variety was grown beside the well- 

 known one, when no differences could be detected in 

 growth, foliage, flowers, pods or seeds. The descrip- 

 tion secured at that time makes the variety about 2 

 feet tall, with strong, short -jointed, stems, broad leaflets, 

 large cream-colored flowers on short peduncles, nearly 

 straight. " flattish " pods, ready in 103 days (rather 

 short period* from Mar. 21, moderate in number, and 

 each containing about 6 medium-sized white seeds. This 

 description, with others previously given of Branching 

 Marrow, makes Mummy a marrow-like variety; but 

 the name is also connected with Rose or Crown, which 

 had forms with white flowers and seeds and with 

 bi-colored flowers and dark seeds. 



The Andersonian Mummy, noted in an American 

 periodical, is there said to have originated from peas 

 collected in Egypt and supposed to be 2000 to 3000 

 years old, which were given by a Gen. Anderson to 

 John Gardener of Guernsey and increased by him. 

 This, also, is said to have been tested by the Horti- 

 cultural Society of London, but the reference may have 

 been, by error, to the tests of the other Mummy, if 

 there were really two of them. The Mummy and 

 Crown peas grown in America, especially in Canada, 

 have been considered field peas. 



Paradise Marrow. Refs. 70-72; Thorburn Car. 

 1861; Country Gent. 20:126. 1862; Jour. Hort. 

 18:380. 1872. Paradise Marrow, Excelsior Marrow 

 and Champion of Paris were introduced successively in 

 1851, 1857 and 1860, by Stuart and Mein, Wm. Knight, 

 and Sutton, respectively; but by 1861, these names, 

 with several variants, were regarded as synonyms. 

 The variety was grown in America under all three 

 names. 



Hogg, in 1873, commended Paradise Marrow very 

 highly. 



It was a strong-growing Marrowfat pea, 5 to 6 feet tall, single 

 stemmed or occasionally branched at the top, edible in second early 

 or early midseason with pods which averaged 8 to 10 to the vine, 

 were usually single, 4 inches long, straight or slightly curved, very 

 broad, filled well but slowly, rather whitish, and contained 7-9 

 large peas which became large, uneven, compressed, irregular or 

 egg-shaped, whitish seeds, with a thick, smooth skin. 



From its earliness, productivity and large size of 

 pods, peas and seeds, it was considered much superior 

 to the Early Frame types, to Auvergne, and to Shilling 

 Grotto. 



Missouri Marrowfat. Refs. 21, 74; Burr Fid. 

 Card. Veg. 543. 1863; Ferry Cat. 1873. Tho usually 

 considered synonymous with Royal Dwarf Marrowfat 

 and a sub-variety of Large White Marrowfat, Burr 

 calls Missouri Marrowfat a variety of American origin; 

 and describes it as: 



Medium height for a Marrow, strong and vigorous, usually 

 single-stemmed, but occasionally branched: with single or paired 

 pods, nearly straight, wrinkling on the surface as they ripen, and 

 containing about 6 large peas which change to seeds larger, paler, 

 more wrinkled and much more regular in size than ordinary types. 

 It gave edible peas in about 75 days from May 1 and was very 

 productive. 



Leopold II. Refs. 77; N. Y. Sta. Rpt. 3: 250. 1885. 

 Leopold II is an old pea of unknown origin, but firmly 

 fixed and easily kept true to type. In its light-colored 

 pods with very dark green sutures, it is similar to Ring- 

 wood Marrow, a variety connected with the history of 

 Tom Thumb. Its greater height of vine removes it from 

 that group, the later season and rounded ends of the pods 

 exclude it from the Extra Earlies, and the straight pods 

 prevent classifying with Scimitar type peas. 



In our tests it grew 3 to 3 ' 2 feet tall, the pods are often paired, 

 3 to 3} 2 inches long, broad, with a very heavy, wide straight tip, 

 containing 6 or 7 peas, rather more like those of the Extra Earlies 

 than typical Marrowfats. The variety is noticeable for the rapid 

 tho late blossoming and quick filling of the pods, so that the crop 

 can all be harvested within two weeks. The light color of the pods 

 counts against them, tho the peas really hold freshness very well. 



Marblehead Early Marrowfat. Refs. 80, 81; 

 N. J. Sta. Rpt. 149. 1898. This selection from White 

 Marrowfat was introduced by Gregory about 1890, who 

 said it had been grown by the 1 unnamed) originator 

 for 50 years. 



As first grown it was probably shorter in vine, with moder- 

 ately long, very plump, blunt-ended pods, uniformly filled with 6 to 

 8 peas and quite early. As grown in Kansas in 1898, and recently 

 at this Station for three years, it showed no outstanding charac- 

 teristics to separate it from the other Marrowfat strains. The pods 

 were possibly somewhat longer, on the average, broad rather than 

 plump, square-ended, and small-tipped, with 7 to 9 peas. It was 

 not specially early, 62 days to edible maturity from a very late 

 sowing, 10 to 12 more from earlier seedings; and was nearly, if not 

 quite, as tall as other strains. 



Improved Supir Marrow. Refs. 84-86; Allan 

 Car. 1913. The Improved Sugar Marrow probably 

 originated sometime previous to 1905, as it was men- 

 tioned in several places that year. It was grown here 

 for two seasons; and was practically indistinguishable 

 from other Marrowfat strains, tho two distributors say 

 it is quite unlike Royal Dwarf, White-eye Marrowfat 

 or Black-eye Marrowfat. 



It gave a good to very good crop of quite long, moderately 

 plump pods, very slightly curved, with blunt to square ends, con- 

 taining 6 to 7 large, round oval, medium green peas. In Kansas 

 tests the peas were found of rather poor quality, not bearing out the 

 " Sugar " of the name. The seeds are small, cream-colored and 

 slightly pitted. 



It seems to be a favorite in the South, being much 

 grown around Baltimore and Norfolk. 



BLACK EYED SECTION 



The Black-eyed Marrowfat peas are probably fully 

 as old as the solid white types. In 1726, Townsend, 

 an English seedsman, spoke of the variety Black-eyed 

 Marrowfat. Switzer, in 1731, mentioned at least two 

 peas which evidently belong in this group. In describ- 

 ing these and other early varieties of the type, it is very 

 doubtful that the chronological order given is correct. 

 The Black-eyed Marrowfats are now very seldom grown 

 in the garden; but in certain sections are leading members 

 of the field-pea group; and are used for soup-making 

 and baking as well as for stock feed. 



E««. Refs. 91-95. The Egg pea, tho exceedingly 

 old, still exists. It was grown at the Station in 1926, 



