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DREER'S SELECT 



SWEET PEAS. 



There are hundreds of both Orchid-flowered and 

 Standard varieties of Sweet Peas, many of which 

 are practically identical and still others which lack 

 either size, purity of color, vigor or some other 

 characteristic which all first-class sorts should have. 

 It would be an easy matter for us to greatly extend 

 our list; but we think it best to confine our offers to 

 such sorts as are really first-class, and every variety 

 we offer is entitled to a place in the front rank of 

 Sweet Peas, We also offer the very latest intro- 

 ductions, which are fully described on pages 58 

 ^ and 59. 



How to Grow Sweet Peas. 



The soil for Sweet Peas should be rich and deep. 

 A good rich loam, with pretty of well-rotted manure 

 in it, is the ideal soil for raising good plants that 

 will produce plenty of blooms of good substance. 

 Soils that are at all heavy are best dug in the au- 

 tumn, and during the winter months a good dress- 

 ing of hardwootl ashes or air-slaked lime should be 

 given it. They should be in a position fully ex- 

 posed to the sunlight and air on both sides of the 

 row. 



Much depends on the state of the weather as to 

 when the seed may be sown out of doors; but they 

 should be sown as early in the season as the ground 

 can be worked, which is usually between the mid- 

 dle of March and the middle of April in the latitude 

 of Philadelphia. It is best to make a trench or 

 furrow about six inches deep, in the bottom of which 

 sow the seed. Cover with about an inch of soil, 

 pressing it down firmly. As soon as they are above 

 ground, thin out to two to four inches apart; when 

 planted too close they do not attain their full devel- 

 opment. They should be staked up either with 

 branches of brush or stout stakes on which wire 

 netting has been fastened. These should be at 

 least four feet high, and five feet would be better. 

 It is just as well to do the staking at the time of 

 sowing. 

 During dry weather they should be watered thoroughly and frequently and given an application of liquid manure once a week. 

 A mulch of hay or rakings from the awn will be found beneficial during hot weather. The flowers should be cut as often as pos- 

 sible, to prevent the plants from running to seed, which would stop them from continuing in bloom. 



White-seeded varieties should not be sown until the ground is comparatively dry and warm. If sown under cold, wet conditions, 

 the seed will rot in the ground. "Vith few exceptions, Sweet Peas are black-seeded, and these do not appear to be affected like 

 the white-seeded sorts. 



DREER'S MIXTURES OF SWEET PEAS. 



All of the mixtures offered below have been made up by ourselves out of the finest named varieties, insuring a satisfactory result 

 in color, and must not be confounded with cheap grades, which are harvested in mixture and always contain a large proportion of 

 dull and undesirable colors. 



Standard Swebt Pha, Dorothy Eckpord. 



4260 Dreer's Orchid-flowered Hixed. Read what we 

 say about this type on page 109. They represent the 

 highest achievement in Sweet Peas to date, and this mix- 

 ture has been made up of named sorts only and it would be 

 impossible to get anything of higher quality. 10 cts. per 

 pkt. ; 20 cts. per oz.; 60 cts. per J lb.; $2.00 per lb. 



4252 Dreer's "Peerless" Mixture. This mixture con- 

 tains nothing but the finest large-flowering standard varie- 

 ties in such quantities as to produce best color effect. Pkt., 

 5 cts.; oz., 10 cts.; ^ lb., 30 cts. ; lb., $1.00. 



4270 Cupid, Dwarf or Bedding Mixed. These form a line 

 of emerald-green foliage a little over a foot wide and 6 

 inches high, and from June until late summer are literally 

 a sheet of bloom; the mixture contains all the colors. 5 cts. 

 per pkt.; 15 cts. per oz. ; 50 cts. per \ lb.; $1.50 per lb. 



MIXTURES OF SEPARATE 

 SHADES. 



It is undeniable that a bunch of Sweet Peas of pink or while 

 or other colors which harmonize together is much more effective 

 than a similar bunch where all the colors are mixed together. 

 For such as prefer to grow the various colors separate we have 

 prepared the following mixtures out of the finest named standard 

 sorts: 



4254 Pink Shades. Light to deep pink. 



4255 Red Shades. Bright rose to dark scarlet. 



4256 Lavender and Blue Shades. Lavender to heliotrope. 



4257 Purple and Haroon Shades. All the dark colors. 



4258 White and Primrose Shades. All the delicate tints. 

 Price, any of the above, 15 cts. per oz. ; 50 cts. per } lb. 



4269 Collection of one ounce each of the 5 shades, 60 cts. 



For Special Collections of Orchid-flowered and Standard Sweet Peas aee Specialtiei, paget 58 and 59. 



