SUNSET SWEET PEAS. 
A Tribute from an Authority. 
(Rev. "W. T. Hutchins.) 
Parsonage, Evangewcai, Church, Indian Orchard, Mass., ^u£: zy, i&96- 
Dear Mr. Sproule, and Sunset Seed and Plant Co. : 
It must be six or seven years ago that I became interested in the " Hopkins strain " of Sweet Peas, 
though I then knew nothing about your San Francisco house or your Menlo Park operations. It seems 
like ancient history now, such strides have been taken in this flower in six years. You were pioneers 
in American-grown Sweet Peas. Since then I have enjoyed a visit to Menlo Park, which is a park 
indeed— and no feature of it is more beautiful than the great blocks of color where you are growing 
^seed for the thousands who, whatever else they have, must have Sweet Peas. 
I am glad to bear witness to your excellent work. From correspondence I have had with your 
superintendent of seed-growing since my visit, as well as from what I saw with my own eyes, I know 
you are doing careful work ; and both yourself and Mr. Kidd, whose visits to my place I highly appre- 
ciate, are thoroughly up to date in all that pertains to Sweet Peas. I found on my visit to Mr. Eckford 
last summer that your Mr. Timothy Hopkins had been the only American who had ever visited him. 
I am sure you fully appreciate the fact that the Sweet Pea has come into the front rank as an exhi- 
bition flower, and that intelligent discrimination and careful adherence to correct nomenclature of the 
one hundred varieties now grown is highly essential. When I speak of reliable growers, I, Of Course, 
put the Sunset Company In that class. 
I have made four exhibits this summer, and at each have given your novelty, Red Ridlng-hood, a 
prominent place. It not only has the merit of being: unique, tout it has the 
long: stems, thrifty habit and abundant florescence of the finest s^eet 
Peas< May it lead to other introductions that shall signalize your work on the most popular of all 
flowers 1 
OTHER SWEET PEA NOVELTIES 
For the Season of 1897. 
Additional to our own remarkably striking introductions the coming season, we 
submit for trial the following five varieties of Sweet Peas, hoping they may meet with 
popular approbation. 
Prices, 15 cts. per pkt., 1 for 25 cts., 10 pkts. of any one variety for $1. 
One pkt. each of tlie collection of 5 varieties, 60 cts. 
Aurora. A flower of rare size, rich coloring and striking beauty ; striped and 
flaked bright orange-salmon on white ground. This variety we are convinced will win 
the enthusiastic admiration not only of Sweet Pea specialists, but of flower lovers gen- 
erally. Its name worthily hints its charms. It is one of the most novel varieties in the 
striped series. 
Brilliant. Rich, bright crimson-scarlet. 
Creole. Somewhat resembling L,emon Queen. Standards light pinkish lavender, 
wings pure lavender. 
Golden Gate, Standards soft pinkish mauve, wings lighter tint of mauve and 
lavender. 
Maid of Honor. Claimed to be an improved light " Butterfly," selected from 
the old Butterfly variety, so well known among the older sorts. Color a light suffu- 
sion of blue on white ground, edged with deeper blue. 
