NEW SWEET PEAS. 



13 



Ohn,' as a lavender, and * Nubian,' as a dark, and an excellent half- 

 dozen is the result. 



From the title of my lecture this afternoon some may expect me 

 to deal more particularly with the novelties of, say, the last two 

 years. I shall have something to say about several of them presently 

 when we have the pictures on the screen. [The lecture was illustrated 

 by coloured lantern slides.] 



The National Sweet Pea Society has only recognized twelve 

 varieties during the last two seasons, five in 1910, and seven last 

 year. The National Sweet Pea Society's test is a very severe one. 

 In 1910 'Stirling Stent,' a deep orange-salmon; 'Arthur Green,' a 

 purple maroon; 'Cherry Pipe,' a warm cerise; 'Masterpiece,' a 

 lavender; and 'Mrs. Hugh Dickson,' cream-pink, received awards. 

 Last season ' Dobbie's Thomas Stevenson,' orange; ' Barbara,' salmon; 

 ' F. Seymour Davies,' lilac; 'Mauve Queen,' mauve; 'May Camp- 

 bell,' cream, marbled-carmine; 'Mrs. B. Gilbert,' cream flaked with 

 lilac; and ' Ped Star ' were honoured. It has been pointed out that on 

 the soil at Guildford, where the N.S.P.S. trials take place, orange- 

 coloured, scarlet, and lavender flowers do best, and the lists of awards 

 each year prove this, as the majority belong to these colour classes. 



Let us now look for a few minutes at the N.S.P.S. Classification 

 List, which is different from its trials records. The Classification List 

 is made up from the best sweet peas known to the members of the 

 N.S.P.S. Floral Committee. For instance, at the top of the bicolor 

 class is ' Mrs. Cuthbertson, ' which does not appear in the Award List. 

 In blues, ' Flora Norton Spencer ' is at the top. In cream-pinks 

 'Mrs. Poutzahn.' In deep cream-pinks 'Doris Usher.' In fancies 

 Bolton's 'Afterglow,' one of the most distinct sweet peas sent out 

 for many a day, is at the top. I might almost say the same about 

 ' Elfrida Pearson.' It is a grand sweet pea — none better. Neither 

 it nor the others just mentioned have obtained the N.S.P.S. award, 

 although ' Elfrida Peaison ' has the P.H.S. one. I have often said 

 that the N.S.P.S. Classification List is an excellent guide to varieties. 

 One has only to make up one's mind as to the colours one would like, 

 and take either the first or the second under, the particular colour 

 heading, and all will be well, provided good true stocks are procured. 



The sweet pea is undergoing a transformation similar to that 

 through which many other flowers have gone. From the old hooded or 

 erect-standard types we have moved to the wavy or Spencer types, and 

 the next movement is in the direction of double-standard forms. This 

 summer will bring forth many such, and several I have seen are very 

 beautiful indeed. They have been appropriately named ' Duplex ' 

 varieties. People who have not seen them imagine they are lumpy 

 and ugly — quite the opposite is the case; the double standards give 

 the flower a richness and intensity which for many purposes add 

 immensely to its value. 



In speaking about new sweet peas I think it appropriate to call 

 attention to the new method of cultivation which is adopted by so mmj 



