Marcu, 1908 
best of the white-seeded extra earlies. The 
popular Station or Surprise is equally. as 
early, but has a more slender vine growing 
eighteen inches high. It has not become 
as popular, largely perhaps because the 
pods and peas are smaller; at the same time 
the peas are exceptionally tender and sweet. 
It is one of the best American peas. 
The most important development among 
peas in recent years was when the English 
gardeners succeeded in getting the larger pod 
and pea with wrinkled seed into the early 
group. ‘They are not quite so early as the 
round-seeded kinds—perhaps a week later 
—hbut come before the second earlies. The 
best known varieties of this type are Gradus 
and Thomas Laxton. Gradus (also called 
Prosperity) was the first introduced and 
grows eighteen inches to two feet in height, 
has a slender vine and comparatively sparse 
leafage, with large pods three to four inches 
in length well filled with large peas. The 
whole plant is very light colored. Farther 
north, where weather conditions are more 
favorable, this variety grows to four feet in 
height and bears much more abundantly. 
Thomas Laxton, while similar to Gradus 
in the height of vine, is about three days later in 
season; it hasleaves, pods and peasof adarker, 
richer green and is regarded by connoisseurs 
as being better flavored. The pods are 
square or blunt at the apical end while 
those of Gradus slope to a sharp point. 
Thus for the same sized pod the Laxton 
will have one or two more peas and as a 
rule the Laxton pods are better filled with 
peas. In my estimation, it is the better 
variety, but it has not become as popular 
as the Gradus, because the latter was intro- 
duced first and stands as the representative 
of the newer type. 
THE SECOND EARLY KINDS 
Until the advent of the Gradus type of pea 
it was the wrinkled seed varieties of the second 
early group that were relied upon for quality, 
and were planted the most largely. The 
pods are larger and the peas sweeter than 
those of the first earlies and the pods are 
Prolific Early type, five days later than the earliest 
but a heavier cropper and worth waiting for 
TOE GARD EYN|  MPASG A Zl N 1 
ready to gather in sixty-five to seventy-five 
days after sowing. 
For the small home garden the dwarf 
varieties of this group will be the most satis- 
factory because, although they are not so 
productive as the later ones, the rows may 
be planted more closely together and there 
is no brush or trellis to be provided. The 
original variety of this type, Tom Thumb, 
has been discarded for better varieties, the 
earliest maturing of these, the American 
Wonder, coming in succession after the 
smaller seeded extra earlies, has a heavier 
stalk and larger, deeper green leaves. The 
pods are two and a half inches long, 
pointed, and fairly well filled with peas 
of good size and flavor. The popular 
Nott’s Excelsior is an improved American 
Wonder, more evenly dwarf in growth, 
with well filled, square ended pods.  Pre- 
mium Gem, of taller growth than the two 
preceding and a little later in season, will 
produce a few more pods to the plant, but 
the shelled result is about the same, as the 
pods are not quite as large. 
Senator, one of the most productive of the second 
early Kinds. Has pointed ends 
In the taller-growing second earlies the 
vines attain a height of about two and one- 
half feet, and need support. The best 
known type has round pods, averaging three 
inches in length, well filled with peas of 
medium size and fairly sweet flavor. The 
pods hang well out from the foliage, some- 
times two to a single stem, and are easily 
gathered. Advancer, Horsford’s Market 
Garden, Yorkshire Hero, Bliss Everbearing, 
and Profusion are good varieties of this 
type, and in good soil will continue produc- 
tive for about a week or ten days. 
The newer and better flavored second 
earlies are normally of the same height as 
the preceding, but in a cool location will 
grow taller with a longer period of bearing. 
Like Gradus and Laxton in the extra earlies, 
they have larger, broader pods generally 
of a rich, dark green color, containing very 
large and very sweet peas. My favorite 
73 
Gradus, a first early with wrinkled seeds, so cannot 
be sown so soon as a round seeded sort 
araong these is the Duke of Albany, some- 
times called American Champion. It is 
a good grower, quite productive, of excellent 
flavor and comes in after Gradus. The 
most productive variety of its season is 
Senator with a larger, more rounded pod 
than the Duke of Albany. The pods are 
slightly curved and are borne generally in 
pairs on a single stem. Other excellent 
large-podded, mid-season varieties are the 
Shropshire Hero, MHurst’s Reliance, and 
Heroine. 
THE LATE AND MARROWFAT VARIETIES 
Undoubtedly the very best quality is 
found in this group; but since, with the 
single exception of Dwarf Champion, all 
these late varieties are of English origin, 
they do not take very kindly to our seasons, 
except in the cooler sections. This group 
has very large pods, six inches long and 
exceptionally broad, giving peas of pro- 
portionate size, and of rich, sweet flavor. 
They yield in about eighty or more days 
from sowing. 
All the late varieties need staking, even 
the dwarf kinds; for if left to lie on the ground 
the foliage and pods mildew badly in wet 
weather, and as the period of growthis longer, 
they can be more easily cultivated during 
growth if supported. The vine is thick 
stemmed and about eighteen inches in height, 
with very large, deep green leaves set closely 
together. 
The earliest and best flavored of this class 
is British Wonder (one of the newer varie- 
ties) maturing in less than eighty days 
from sowing and having more rounded 
pods. Carter’s Daisy, or Dwarf Telephone, 
and Stratagem are varieties to grow for 
quality. Pride of the Market, largely grown 
by farmers, has equally large pods and peas 
of a very dark, rich green, but is not so sweet 
