1868 . ] 
PEAS NEW AND OLD. 
9 
manure to 2 inches in depth; and then, if the weather he hot and dry, the 
whole of the border in which the pots are plunged should be covered, pots 
and all, with short half-decayed manure, or anything like it, so that hut 
little water may he required. During the summer the fruit should be 
thinned, for, owing to the kind nature of the climate in which the trees 
blossomed, the fruit will set in large clusters, and if not thinned will 
give Pears inferior or worthless. A tree the second year of its potted life 
may he suffered to bear one dozen of Pears ; in the third year from a dozen 
and a quarter to a dozen and a half. As a rule, a tree in an 11-inch pot 
should not be allowed to bear more than two dozen of Pears of ordinary 
size, and, if large kinds, seldom or never more than one and a half dozen. 
The pot culture of Pear trees is so simple and so safe in its results, 
that it must and will progress ; so that in a few years people who annually 
have crops of fine Pears with the assistance of glass, will look with wonder 
on the dark ages of Pear culture, when the crop entirely depended on the 
mildness or the converse of our springs—if mild, Pears ; if frosty, no Pears. 
' T. R. • 
PEAS NEW AND OLD. 
earlier, and perhaps the more important of the various sorts of 
Peas grown this year at Chiswick, for experimental purposes, were 
briefly described atp. 190 (1867) of the former series. The remainder, 
amongst which will be found some very useful sorts, and many old 
favourites, will now be noticed; their quality, generally speaking, is, 
however, scarcely equal to that of some of the varieties already mentioned. 
British Queen is a white wrinkled Marrow, an old, well-known, and general favourite. 
When sown at the same time as Sangster’s No. 1 it comes into use three weeks after that 
variety. It is very prolific, and continues hearing for a long time in succession, so that a 
great many gatherings can he had from the same row. It grows from 6 to 8 feet in height ; 
the pods are very large, full, of a pale green colour, containing from seven to nine large peas 
in each, of very fine quality. Hooper's Incomparable , Wonder, and Gattell's Wonder are 
identical with it. Tall Mammoth very much resembles it, but is a few days later. 
Knight's Tall White Wrinkled Marroiv is a few days later than British Queen. It grows 
from 4£ to 5 feet high, and is very prolific ; the pods are pale green, rather flat, with an ex¬ 
ceedingly thin inner lining; they contain from seven to eight peas each, which are remarkably 
sweet and tender. Spider Pea (Stuart & Mein), is a white wrinkled Marrow, of good flavour. 
Lynn's Prolific Wrinkled is a white wrinkled Marrow, about 3 feet high ; when sown at 
the same time it comes into use one month after Sangster’s No. 1. It was the latest of all the 
varieties grown. The pods are small, but well filled. It is very prolific, with a fine hardy 
constitution, standing against the summer droughts well. The dried seed is of a brownish 
white colour, small, much compressed, almost square, with a small black spot on each. Owing 
to this characteristic it is sometimes called Black-eyed Susan. 
Auvergne, a second early white Marrow, is an old, well-known, and general favourite where 
quantity not quality is desired. Sown at the same time, it comes into use about a fortnight 
after Sangster’s No. 1. The pods are long and rather narrow, much curved at the point, 
containing from seven to ten peas in each. It has a very vigorous hardy constitution, grows 
from 4 to 6 feet high, and is very prolific. Dickson's Favourite is a selection from the 
Auvergne; the pods are larger, broader, and not nearly so much curved; it is the better 
variety of the two, and is very often substituted for it. Torwoodlee is a synonym of Favourite. 
Princess Boyal is a second eaily white Marrow, from 2h to 3 feet high, eighteen days 
later than Sangster’s No 1, and a first-class Pea. The pods are large and broad, with from 
seven to eight large peas in each, of excellent quality. It is of a fine vigorous constitution, 
B 2 
