532 
P I S 
vinces, would have had fufficient reafon to deteft me as 
the caufe of fo great a calamity.’ It appears, however, 
from Linnsus, that the creature has been imported into 
the fouth of Europe.” Thus, however, ended all hopes 
of cultivating the pea in America and in Sweden. 
2. Pifus maritimum, the fea-pea: petioles flattifh above, 
ftem angular, ftipules faggitate, peduncles many-flowered. 
Sea-pea has a perennial root, running far and deep among 
the Hones or into the fand in every direction. Stem 
procumbent, quadrangular, a little comprefled, ftriated, 
fmooth, leafy, many-flowered, glaucous, often reddifh. 
Leavesalternate, alternately and abruptly pinnate, fpread- 
ing. Leaflets feflile, oval, obtufe with a little point, 
entire, fmooth, many-veined, glaucous. Common foot- 
ftalk flattifh, ftriated, ending in a branched thread-fhaped 
fmooth tendril. Stipules two together, equal, acute, 
toothed at the bafe, of the texture and colour of the 
leaflets, but fmaller. Cluftersof flowersaxillary, folitary, 
as long as the leaves, ere<ft, many-flowered. Common 
peduncle round, ftriated, fmooth; pedicles alternate, 
fliort, flngle-flowered. Flowers rather large, a little 
drooping; corolla beautifully variegated with red and 
purple ; ftandard obovate, notched, purple, with a red 
ridge and veins ; wings and keel paler, bluifh. Germ 
nearly cylindrical : ftyle bluntifh, uniform and not 
broader in the upper part: ftigma reaching from its 
middle to the top on the fore part. Pod oblong, com¬ 
prefled, fmooth, ftraight on the upper fide, keeled below, 
terminated by the permament ftyle. It is reprefented on 
the annexed Engraving. 
It is well remarked by Dr. Smith, that this fpecies is 
almoft as nearly allied to Lathyrus as to Pifum, both in 
habit and generic character; and that Pifum fativum is 
not more different in external appearance from the genus 
of Lathyrus, than Vicia faba, or the bean, is from the 
other Viciae. Thefe however, he adds, are matters of 
opinion; and, in fo natural a clafs, it is very difficult 
to find out certain and obvious marks of diftin&ion. 
Sea-pea is a native of the fea»fhore, among ftones or in 
fand, in different parts of Europe, as Sweden, Denmark, 
England ; in great plenty on the ftony beach between 
Orford and Aldborough in Suffolk; near Haftings, Rye, 
and Pevenfey, Suffex; near Lyd in Kent; Guildford 
over againft the Comber, and Ingolne mills in Lincoln- 
fhire; on the (harp ridge running from Portland-ifland 
to Bridport, to the right of the ferry, among loofe 
pebbles, fifteen or twenty feet above high-water mark ; 
but the cows eat it down fo that it is difficult to procure 
a fpecimen in flower. It is found in Canada, quite 
fmooth, and of double the fize. Thunberg alfo fays it 
grows in Japan, in the ifland of Nipon, by way-fides, 
flowering in March, April, and May. With us it flowers 
in July and Auguft. 
We learn from the Epiftles of the learned John Caius, 
that the fea-pea was firft obferved in the year 1555, when, 
in a great fcarcity, the poor people on the coaft of Suffolk 
about Orford and Aldborough fupported themfelves 
with it for fome time. This ftory is retailed by Baker, 
Stow, and Camden; with the addition, that they were 
fuppofed to fpring up opportunely in that year of dearth, 
from a thipwrecked veffel loaded with peafe; whereas 
the fea-pea differs from all the varieties of the garden or 
field-pea, in the length and continuance of its roots, the 
fmallnefs and bitternefs of its feed, and in the whole 
habit and appearance of the plant. It had probably 
grown a long time on Orford beach unobferved, till 
extreme want called it into public notice : the feed is fo 
bitter, that it would not be eaten, except in a want of 
better food ; and it is certainly not ufed at prefent, though 
it might be gathered in fufficient quantity; nay, it is 
neglected by the very birds. The legend of the mira¬ 
culous arrival of thefe peafe in a time of extreme fcarcity, 
is ftill believed among the country people. 
In the Correfpondence of the Bath Society, vol. xiv. 
U M. 
1818. Dr. Sherwen has given an article “ On the Pro¬ 
bability of cultivating to advantage the Marine Pea, and 
fome other of the leguminous Clafs of Vegetables, on the 
Sea-fhores of Great Britain and Ireland.” The object of 
this communication is to recommend a prize for the beft- 
condufted experiment, to difcover whether any of our 
leguminous plants fown in fimilar fituations, will take 
root and flourifh. The marine pea being a perennial, its 
cultivation becomes an object of double importance: 
“ for the extenfive growth which either firft took place or 
was firft noticed in 1555, on the Suffex coaft, ftill 
flourifhes there, affording an annual fupply of green 
nutritive food for fheep and oxen.” The experiment 
might eafily be made, as it may be cultivated either by 
feeds or by the roots. 
3. Pifum ochrus, the yellow-flowered pea: petioles 
decurrent membranaceous two-leaved, peduncles one- 
flowered. Root annual. Stalk angular, near three feet 
high. Leaves on winged foot-ftalks, each fuftaining two 
oblong leaflets. Flowers pale yellow, fmall. Pods two 
inches long ; containing five or fix roundifh feeds, a little 
comprefled on their fides; thefe may be eaten green ; but, 
unlefs they are gathered very young, they arecoarfe, and 
at belt not fo good as the common pea. Native of the 
South of Europe and the Levant. Ray obferved it 
among the corn near Leghorn in Italy. Johnfon, the 
editor of Gerard’s Herball (1633), fays, it is found with 
us only in gardens. It flowers in June and July. 
Propagation and Culture. It is a common praflice 
with the gardeners near London, to raife peafe upon liot- 
leds, to have them very early in the fpring; in order to 
which, they fow their peafe upon warm borders under 
walls or hedges, about the middle of October; and, when 
the plants come up, they draw the earth up gently to 
their ftems with a hoe, the better to protedt them from 
froft. In thefe places they let them remain till the latter 
end of January, or the beginning of February, if they 
are preferved from frofts, obferving to earth them up 
from time to time as the plants advance in height, as 
alfo to cover them in very hard froft with peafe-haulm, 
ftraw, or fome other light covering, to preferve them 
from being deftroyed; then, at the time before-men¬ 
tioned, they make a hot-bed of good dung, well prepared 
and properly mixed together, that the heat may not be 
too great. The dung thould be laid about three feet 
thick, or fomewhat more, according as the beds are made 
earlier or later in the feafon ; when the dung is equally 
levelled, then the earth (which thould be light and frefti, 
but not over rich) muft be laid on about fix or eight 
inches thick, laying it equally all over the bed. This 
being done, the frames (which ftiould be two or two and 
a half feet high on the back fide, and about eighteen, 
inches in front) muft be put on, and covered with 
glaffes: after which it lhould remain three or four days, 
to let the fleam of the bed pafs off, before you put the 
plants therein, obferving every day to raife the glaffes to 
give vent for the rifing fleam to pafs off; then, when you 
find the bed of a moderate temperature for heat, yon 
ftiould, with a trowel or fome other inftrument, take up 
the plants as carefully as potfible, to preferve the earth 
to the roots, and plant them into the hot-bed in rows 
about two feetafunder; and the plants ftiould be fet 
about an inch diftant from each other in the rows, ob¬ 
ferving to water and (hade them until they have taken 
root; after which you muft be careful to give them air 
at all times when the feafon is favourable, otherwife they 
will draw up very weak, and be fubjeft to grow mouldy 
and decay. You ftiould alfo draw the earth up to the 
flianks of the plants as they advance in height, and keep 
them always clear from weeds. The water they thould 
have muft be given them fparingly, for if they are too 
much watered it will caufe them to grow rank, and 
fometimes rot off the plants at their thanks juft above 
ground. When the fun thines hot, cover the glaffes with 
mats, 
