STOKES SEED FARMS COMPANY ^ MOORESTOWN, NEW JERSEY 



ALASKA 



V f 



AMERICAN 

 WONDER 



I 



SUTTON'S 

 EXCELSIOR 



AMEER 



PEAS 



(Pisum sativum) 



HISTORY — Of uncertain origin, but probably a native of Central 

 Europe or the mountains of Central Asia. They have been cultivated 

 by man from a very remote time. They take their name from the Greek 

 word Pisa, a town of Elis, where peas grew very plentifully. In 1596, 

 they were spelled Peson in England, thence the present spelling. Pliny, 

 in the first century, refers to ancient writers having spoken of peas and 

 we have numerous references to them in Biblical history, especially 

 amongst the Hebrews. We are told that at Damascus there were many 

 shops where people did nothing else but fry peas, as they were considered 

 to be especially fine for travelers. Dioscorides, the physician to Anthony 

 and Cleopatra, recommended them very highly. A. de Candolle is of the 

 opinion that peas were known to the Aryans 2000 years before Christ, 

 and that they, perhaps, brought them into Greece and Italy. Peas have 

 also been found in the Swiss Lake dwellings of the Bronze Period. Peas 

 were further introduced in England during the reign of Henry VIII. 

 Hovjever, they were very rare until at least the time of Gerard in Eliza- 

 beth's reign. The industry in America has assumed vast proportions. 

 Several new varieties of merit have been developed by American seed 

 pea growers. In the earlier days most of these came out of New York 

 stale and Michigan, but of late the bulk of all seed pea operations has 

 been located in the Northwest. 



No. 750— Alaska, or Earliest of All 



Days to Maturity, 45. Introduced about 1881 as Laxton's Earliest 

 of All by Mr. Thomas Laxton, of Bedford, England. Offered in 

 America as Earliest of All by Thorburn in 1882. Later renamed by 

 Cleveland and called Cleveland's Alaska. It was listed as such by 

 Johnson & Stokes prior to 1889, and commercially the name Alaska 

 is now the more common of the two. This variety is the earliest in 

 existence. The plant attains a height of two feet. The foliage is a 

 light green color. The pods are slightly lighter than the foliage, and 

 will average from two to two and one-half inches in length, being 

 blunt at the apex when fully developed. There will be from four to 

 six peas to the pod. The dry seeds are pale bluish green. The crop 

 will mature promptly, and one picking is sufficient. This variety 

 is in very large use amongst the commercial canners, and is also 

 grown for general market and home garden purposes. Pkt. 10c, 

 Yi pt. 20c, pt. 35c, qt. 60c, Y 2 pk. $2.25, postpaid. 



TELEPHONE 



No. 752— Pedigree Extra Early 



Days to Maturity, 47. A very old variety. 

 Named by Landreth in 1823. Dr. Sturtevant 

 (1885) states that it is quite probable that 



the present Extra Early originated from a selection of Daniel 

 O'Rourke (1853), which was preceded by Early Kent and Early 

 Frame, two very old English sorts. The name, First and Best, 

 was given it by Cleveland, although this name had been attached 

 rather loosely to other varieties. "Pedigree Extra Early" is a 

 strain developed by Messrs. N. B. Keeney & Son, Leroy, New York, 

 after several years' work of selection for size, earliness and quality. 

 The plant will attain a height of twenty inches. It is slightly darker, 

 more prolific and bearing pods sweeter than the Alaska. These 

 pods are slightly darker in color and will attain a length of about 

 two and one-half inches. Pedigree Extra Early is a variety especially 

 recommended where the actual edible quality is a consideration. 

 Pkt. 10c, H pt. 20c, pt. 35c, qt. 60c, y 2 pk. $2.25, postpaid. 



No. 758 — Ameer 



Days to Maturity, 55. Sometimes known as Large-Podded 

 Alaska. The vines of this variety grow to a height of three feet, 

 producing' pods two and three-quarter inches long, blunt at the end, 

 slightly curved. They are borne along the vine frequently in pairs. 

 The seed is slightly larger than Alaska, somewhat more dented and 

 a bluish-green color. Pkt. 10c, ]4. Pt. 20c, pt. 35c, qt. 60c, l /% pk. 

 $2.25, postpaid. 



No. 756— Prolific Early Market 



Days to Maturity, 55. The vines will average two feet in height, 

 and will produce pods two and three-quarter inches in length, blunt 

 at the end, light green in color. They will be found considerably 

 larger in general proportions than Pedigree Extra Early. A highly 

 recommended pea for home or market garden purposes. Pkt. 10c, 

 Yi pt. 20c, pt. 35c, qt. 60c, y> pk. $2.25, postpaid. 



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For market gardeners' wholesale prices, see pages 97-98 



