GARDEN PEAS. 



217 



an ordinary White Pea, possibly brought from France and 

 cultivated by the market gardeners at Fulham, but certainly not 

 a distinct variety. 



In 1710, or just eighty years after, " Salmon's Herbal " speaks 

 thus of Peas manured or cultivated : — 



" Of Pease there are several sorts : — 



il The Early or Fulham Pease. 

 " Green and White Hastings. 

 " Eounceval. 

 " Grey Pease. 

 " Spotted. 



" Pease without skins." 



You will please observe that in eighty years there is no 

 mention of any new variety having been introduced. 



In 1737 Miller's " Gardeners' Dictionary " enumerates six- 

 teen varieties of Peas, and says there are several other kinds 

 known by names as distinct sorts ; but as they are very subject 

 to vary there can be no doubt they are merely seminal variations, 

 and are not worth enumeration in this place. He says of the 

 Sickle Pea that it is much more common in Holland than in 

 England, being the sort most cultivated in that country ; but in 

 England they are only grown by curious gentlemen for their own 

 table, and are rarely brought into market. 



The English Sea Pea is found wild on the shore in Sussex 

 and several other counties in England ; and in the year 1555 

 it is reported that between Alford and Aldburgh it grew upon 

 the heath, where nothing, not even grass, was ever seen to grow ; 

 and the poor people, being in distress by reason of the dearth 

 of that year, gathered large quantities of these Peas, and so 

 preserved themselves and families from starving. 



I would here like to refer to some extracts from old cookery 

 books on the subject of Peas. 



1596. Thomas Dawson, in " The Good Housewife's Jewel," 

 gives a recipe to make a close tarte of Green Pease, and 

 another to make White Pease pottage. 



1621. John Murrell in " A delightful daily exercise for Ladies 

 and Gentlemen " gives : " To boyle chickens or capons with pease 

 cods, take green pease when the pods be young, with butter, 

 water, peper, salt, and mace, the yokes of 2 or 3 eggs, six 



