68 



THE VEGETABLES OF NEW YORK 



at the ends: peas 4 to 9. large, very pale green, slightly oblong, 

 much compressed; seeds pale green or almost creamy white, much 

 flattened and wrinkled, about 81 seeds to the ounce. 



Neither season nor productivity was stated; but 

 other American references of about that time say it was 

 a midseason pea and very productive, tho one grower 

 said it did not yield enough to make a satisfactory mar- 

 ket garden pea. In 1893 Bui. 691 Stratagem was found 

 here to be of " first quality, fine flavor." The vines 

 were tall, compact, vigorous, and the variety a " good 

 cropper." tho late. 



Several strains of Stratagem. Danby Stratagem and 

 Improved Stratagem have been grown in our recent tests; 

 and the points supplementary to the early description, 

 or differences from it are indicated below: 



Height 1 ' _■ to 3 feel Danby and Improved strains toward 

 higher limits ; branches very rarely both medial and basal, often 

 medial, occasionally lacking: foliage abundant to dense, darker 

 than medium green, whitened slightly on leaflets, considerably on 

 stipules, leaflets usually 4, of medium length but rather broad, 

 stipules varying from much larger than leaflets at base of plant to 

 only slightly larger above, moderately to lightly clasping, with 

 heavy teeth below middle, and with rounded tips; tendrils quite 

 prominent; flowers above 12th or 13th node; pods single on short. 

 rather heavy stalks. 3 ' i to 4 ' ■> inches long, moderately broad, 

 almost plump to plump, smooth or slightly wrinkled in a vein- 

 like arrangement, straight and straight-backed, with dorsum almost 

 parallel but rounding almost equally to very short neck and rather 

 long-rounded end, with small straight tip, medium green in color; 

 peas 7 to 9 in well filled pods (too rarei, large, oval or oblong and 

 round or slightly indented, medium green, of fair to good quality. 

 seeds only coarsely wrinkled, of medium size, mixed cream and light 

 green. The pods were ready in midseason, or later, and in no case 

 were the crops better than good. 



Sharpe Triumph. Refs. 7, 8; Rural N. Y. 

 H:496. 1885. Sharpe Triumph originated with Cul- 

 verwell. was named and introduced by Sharpe in 1883, 

 and reached America within two years. 



It was grown at this Station in 1888 and appears to 

 have differed from Stratagem in more compact habit 

 of growth - dwarfer. with shorter internodes — and 

 shorter and more uniform pods containing more, and 

 more flattened, seeds. The principal difference, however, 

 was in a decided curving of the pods of Triumph, which 

 considered by itself would exclude the variety from this 

 group; but some references, English, American and 

 French, say the pods were straight, while others in the 

 first two countries agree with the Station description. 



I»\»arf Defiance Ref. 11 was raised by Laxton 

 and was first known as John Lee, under which name it 

 received the highest commendatory award of the Royal 

 Horticultural Society in 1892. The stock, before this 

 time, had been purchased by Sutton who gave the variety 

 its current name, and introduced it after re-selection. 

 In 1901 it received an Award of Merit from the Royal 

 Horticultural Society under the new name. It was 

 grown in America in 1904 in the Department of Agri- 

 culture tests, but was not introduced commercially 

 under its own name for several years, tho Potlatch, 

 introduced somewhat before Dwarf Defiance appeared 

 in the United States, is said, by some, to be identical 

 with the latter. Dwarf Defiance, as grown here: 



Rather more dwarf than Stratagem, 1 ' 4 to 1 ' j feet (elsewhere 

 reaches 2 feet and in England 3 ' | feet . pods occasionally in pairs, 

 broader, with a slight curve at the tip, which is somewhat more 

 pointed, dark green in color, and better filled; peas larger, of better 

 quality, more compressed than those of Stratagem: seeds decidedly- 

 larger and much flattened. 



Dwarf Defiance was about 3 days earlier than 

 Stratagem; but the crops were rather disappointing, tho 

 elsewhere in America they have been heavy. It is 

 considered a very satisfactory dwarf main crop pea. 



\«->» Life Ref. 12 was introduced in this country 

 in 1896, probably by Breck. Gregory says the origi- 

 nator sought to secure a new pea with all the good points 

 of Stratagem without the defect of small pods; and New 

 Life resulted. It was much commended and soon became 

 very popular but was also soon superseded by other 

 varieties. It was 2 to 2 ' •_> feet tall, in season about with 

 Stratagem or a little earlier, very prolific, with long, 

 straight, broad pods, 3' | to 4 inches long, containing 

 S to 8 large peas of good quality. It was a Stratagem 

 improved in productivity and regularity of pod size. 



Sherwood. Refs. 15, 16; Thorburn Cat. 1908. 

 Sherwood was introduced about 1901, probably by Hurst, 

 and received an Award of Merit from the Royal Horti- 

 cultural Society in that year. The first American refer- 

 ence is dated 1908. This has been a popular pea in 

 England; and grown to some extent in America, tho 

 not found listed here in recent years. It is compared 

 with English Wonder, American Wonder, British Wonder 

 and Stratagem; and with us more like the latter. 



Height about 1 ' 2 to 1 :, .| feet, very similar to Stratagem in 

 habit, branches and foliage, but with sharper-tipped stipules, 

 having smaller serrations extending farther up the lobes; flowers 

 much lower, 7th node; pods fine green in color, decidedly smaller. 

 3 . to 3 ' 1 inches long, but quite uniform, decidedly wrinkled when 

 ready to pick, not as long rounded at the ends and showing a tip: 

 peas about 6, very large, indented, wide oblong or nearly square, 

 glistening dark green, very good quality; seeds rather smoother 

 and less green than those of Stratagem. The season is fully a week 

 earlier than that of Stratagem, and the crops were good. 



Potlatch. Refs. 20 22. Potlatch, an Indian word 

 for " big dinner," was the name applied to a pea said 

 to have come from the Pacific Coast and introduced, 

 probably about 1906, by Leonard. It was pronounced 

 identical with Dwarf Defiance or Improved Stratagem 

 by several who cataloged it; but a leading pea grower, 

 very careful of stock and descriptions, listed both Dwarf 

 Defiance and Potlatch and noted several of the differ- 

 ences that we found in recent tests of them. 



Plants of Potlatch 4 to 6 inches or more taller than those of 

 Dwarf Defiance; stem somewhat less angled at the base; foliage 

 more dense but not quite as dark green, with stipules relatively 

 smaller and more wrinkled; flowers at least three nodes higher than 

 Dwarf Defiance: pods are almost half an inch shorter, not as well 

 filled and very long-rounded at the points; peas about one less; 

 both pods and peas better colored. Potlatch, with us, was distinctly 

 later than Dwarf Defiance, and not very productive. 



Big Marvel, introduced by the Schultz Seed Store, 

 Washington, D. C, is said by another seedsman, who 

 cataloged it the following year, to be identical with 

 Potlatch; but both speak of it as early, which Potlatch 

 is not. 



