DESCRIPTIONS OF VARIETIES 



59 



Comparison with the Gem varieties will be found 

 under Surprise; but according to early authorities, 

 definite, slight differences separated Station and Sur- 

 prise. Both foliage and pods of Surprise were some- 

 what darker green than those of Station; its pods were 

 wider in proportion to length, longer necked and ven- 

 trally curved while the sides of Station pods were parallel ; 

 and the peas of Surprise were crowded giving them a 

 " shouldered," or cylinder-section appearance like that 

 of the Gem peas. Surprise was also considered the 

 better bearer of the two. 



English Wonder. Refs. 36; Gard. Chron. 13: 

 716. 1893; S. Dak. Sta. Bui. 91:5. 1905. English 

 Wonder was raised by a gardener named Tipping, 

 Kenilworth, Eng.. and introduced about 1891 by Cannell. 

 It was brought to America by the U. S. Department of 

 Agriculture for its tests in 1904 and introduced com- 

 mercially shortly afterward. It is probably a selec- 

 tion from American Wonder, or from a cross with it. 



As grown here the plants are considerably taller, about 1J4 

 feet; with rather more angular stems; rather lighter colored foliage, 

 having leaflets more often in 6s, and sharp-tipped, rather than round- 

 tipped, stipules clasping the stem more deeply; with less conspicu- 

 ous tendrils; blossoming much higher on the stem, 12th rather than 

 6th node, with pods more often paired, rather longer and more 

 uniform, slightly more slender, not quite so blunt-ended, smoothe/- 

 surfaced and darker colored, and occasionally with one more pea 

 to the pod, 7 instead of 6. The peas are slightly larger, and the 

 seeds decidedly larger than those of American Wonder, but of the 

 same general character, moderately wrinkled, and cream and 

 light green in color. It was about three days later than American 

 Wonder and not quite as good a bearer, tho giving very good crops. 

 Aside from productivity, it seems better than the older variety; 

 and some others have found it more productive. 



Recent reports indicate that in England stocks of 

 English Wonder are much mixed with seeds producing 

 peas like American Wonder. 



Nott Excelsior. Ref. 37. This pea originated 

 with Richard Nott, Burlington, Vt., as an American 

 Wonder x Advancer cross; and was introduced by 

 Gregory in 1891. 



On Station soils it has been as tall or taller than 

 Little Gem, l l 2 to 1 3 4 ' feet, tho generally said to be 

 intermediate in height between Gem and Wonder. It 

 is usually compared with Premium Gem and Little 

 Marvel, but for sake of uniformity, we note its variance 

 from Little Gem, as grown with it in our tests. 



The plants are rather more erect than Gem, tho still tending 

 to droop; have some branches, usually basal; foliage similar but 

 with broader leaflets and less clasping stipules, both decidedly 

 whitened but with the white veins less noticeable; flowers from about 

 the same node, or one higher, 9th, rarely paired; pods very similar 

 to those of Little Gem, occasionally slightly longer, but averaging 

 rather shorter, 2}/^ to 2 1 i inches, more often somewhat curved, 

 with slightly more pointed ends, better colored, and averaging better 

 filled; larger peas; seeds somewhat lighter in weight than those of 

 Little Gem, oblong, indented or almost square in shape, and lighter 

 in color, being greenish cream, with similar cotyledon color. With 

 us it was slightly later than Little Gem, but somewhat more 

 productive. 



It is usually said to be earlier than Gem or Wonder, 

 more productive and more resistant to climatic extremes. 



Surprise. Refs. 42-44. Surprise originated with 

 Horsford about 1889, from a cross similar to that which 



produced Station six years before, Earliest of All x 

 American Wonder. After eight years of selection to 

 secure plants producing the best filled pods and most 

 wrinkled peas, Horsford disposed of the stock to Gregory, 

 who introduced it in 1897. The non-identity of Station 

 and Surprise is discussed under Station. 



The plants of Surprise are like those of Alaska and Extra Early, 

 being taller than those of Little Gem, 2 ! 4 to 2^ feet, rarely with a 

 medial branch; foliage scanty, slightly darker than medium green, 

 considerably whitened, with rather long leaflets and sharp-tipped 

 stipules only slightly larger than the adjoining leaflets and rather 

 deeply clasping; pods borne singly from about the 8th node up, on 

 rather slender stalks of moderate length, rarely reach 3 inches, 

 almost round in section, plump, blunt to square at the ends, with 

 small, straight tips; peas when in well grown pods ias they seldom 

 have been here i, average 5 or 6, small to medium sized, rather oblong, 

 indented or almost square, medium green in color and of very good 

 quality; seeds small in most strains, 160 to 180 to the ounce, but 

 may occasionally run as large as 140 to the ounce. Surprise is 

 very early, requiring only 7 weeks to maturity when sown late, or 

 l x /l to 8 weeks when sown in late April or early May on heavy soil 

 near Geneva. It is one of the earliest wrinkled peas, often used for 

 canning. Were its productivity equal to its other good qualities 

 it would be very extensively grown; and some heavy -yielding 

 strains have been developed. Unfortunately its yields are variable, 

 and often only good or below; and it is only moderately resistant 

 to pea diseases. 



William Wonder. Refs. 40: S. Dak. Sta. Bui. 

 85:5. 1904. Witham Wonder originated with Cooper- 

 Taber, possibly as a selection from English Wonder, 

 from which it differs mainly in having curved pods. It 

 was introduced about 1895, was brought to America 

 for U. S. Department of Agriculture tests in 1903 and 

 introduced commercially about five years later. It was 

 grown here in recent tests from seed from the Idaho 

 Station and from Holland. The seeds of the two 

 strains differed somewhat, those from Holland being 

 larger, more wrinkled and better green, but these dif- 

 ferences disappeared in crop seeds of the first season ; 

 and plants of the two strains were similar. 



Seeds, even of the Holland strain, were smaller than those of 

 English Wonder and better green in color; plants about half a 

 foot taller, 1 3 4 feet, similarly branched, with darker, more dense 

 foliage, very free flowering from 8th node up, with pods on longer, 

 rigid stalks, frequently paired, longer, sometimes 3 3 y inches, usually 

 2 3 4 to 3's, much curved, rather more pointed but generally with 

 long-rounded ends, not always quite as well filled, but averaging 

 more peas to the pod, 6 to 7 as compared with 4 to 7. The peas 

 are decidedly smaller, about 80 to the ounce as compared with 55, 

 indented or flattened by crowding, wrinkling early, not as well 

 colored, but of excellent quality. Withm Wonder is about three 

 days earlier than English Wonder, but rather later than Little Gem. 

 very productive and picking over a long period. 



Little Marvel. Refs. 45; Gregory Cat. 1911. 

 Whether the Little Marvel grown in America is Sutton's 

 pea of that name, or Carter's, if these are not the same, 

 is unknown. 



Sutton's Little Marvel was introduced in 1900 and 

 the Little Marvel we have did not reach America until 

 1908, when Gregory received such a pea from Carter. 

 Its parentage is given as Wm. Hurst x Daisy. From 

 1911 to the present time Little Marvel has been widely 

 grown in America, and both before and since that time 

 has been frequently commended in English publications, 



