SHELLING PEAS 



525 



time, and among the numerous varieties which resemble it, and 

 which are often sold for it, there is, perhaps, not one that possesses 

 the sam.e combination of good qualities, and especially such great 

 earliness along with such very great and continuous productiveness. 



MacLean's Best of All Pea.— This is a half-dwarf kind, 

 growing about 2j ft. high, 

 very thick set, and with a 

 short-jointed stem. Leaves 

 stiff, medium-sized, and of 

 very dark glaucous green ; 

 flowers medium-sized, white, 

 in pairs ; pods broad, from 

 3 to nearly 4 in. long, 

 gradually narrowed at both 

 ends, and usually not com- 

 pletely filled ; stems simple 

 to the eighth or ninth joint, 

 then producing three or four 

 branches, and bearing the 

 first pods at about the twelfth 

 joint. The main stem carries 

 from five to seven tiers of 

 pods, and the branches have 

 seldom more than two or 

 three tiers. Each pod con- 

 tains from three to eight 

 very large peas, oval in shape, 

 and, when ripe, very wrinkled, 

 much flattened, and a pale 

 gray-green. This is a pro- 

 ductive, half-late variety, of 

 good quality. 



G. F. Wilson Pea.— A 

 half-dwarf variety, growing 

 from 2 to 2j ft. high. Stem 

 thick and. stout ; leaves 

 very large, glaucous green, 

 especially remarkable for the 

 great size of the stipules and 

 the absence of gray spots ; 

 flowers white, rather large, 

 generally in pairs, but often solitary also, and commencing to open 

 at about the tenth joint of the stem ; pods from about 2J to over 

 3 in. long, at first very flat and exceedingly broad, but becoming 

 narrower as the peas increase in size. The stem carries from six to 

 eight tiers of pods. They are seldom very well filled, each usually 



G. F. Wilson Pea. 



