396 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
February 20, 1897. 
eleven large peas of a rich, glossy, green hue, and excel¬ 
lent quality. Gardeners who have tried it are loud in 
their praise of it as well they might be, on account of 
its fine appearance, fertility, utility, and robustness, 
for it resists mildew under conditions where more 
tender varieties are liable to succumb. The accom¬ 
panying photographic illustration, for which we are 
indebted to Messrs. Sutton & Sons, shows four pods 
of the natural size. 
VEITCH’S AUTOCRAT. 
Many gardeners have long been familiar with the 
excellent qualities of this grand late Pea, belonging 
to the blue wrinkled-marrow section. A First-class 
Certificate was accorded it by the Royal Horticultural 
Society, July loth, 18S5, about which time it was 
put into commerce by Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, 
Limited, Chelsea, The haulm usually grows 4 ft. 
high, being of great constitutional vigour, and 
branching habit. Cultivators should bear this in 
mind when sowing it to make provision for its proper 
development, by allowing sufficient space between 
the lines. Its vigorous constitution enables it to 
ward off mildew in droughty seasons, and to keep on 
bearing a succession of pods for a considerable period. 
The pods are 4 in. to 5 in. in length, of great breadth, 
perfectly straight, covered with a deep bloom, and 
densely packed with about ten peas on an average. 
As may be seen by reference to the accompanying 
illustration, placed at our disposal by Messrs. Veitch, 
the pods are of handsome appearance, and therefore 
very telling for exhibition. For table use the peas 
Veitch's Autocrat. 
are no less satisfactory, for they partake of the 
character of Ne Plus Ultra, being of superior flavour 
and high quality generally. They possess likewise 
the rich green colour of that variety and retain it for 
a long period, making the variety a valuable one for 
main and late crops. The peas swell at the same 
rate as the pods, which are never unduly inflated at 
any time, hence they bulk well when shelled. 
According to the experience of many cultivators, 
sowings of this Pea made late in the seasoD, say 
about the beginning of June, give a better harvest 
of pods than Ne Plus Ultra, sown at the same time 
jm 
Chelsea Gem. 
and under the same conditions, 
times, it is a profitable cropper. 
Sown at various 
VEITCH’S CHELSEA GEM. 
In an extensive trial of Peas made a few years ago at 
Chiswick, Chelsea Gem took a very prominent posi¬ 
tion for its earliness, dwarfness, and fertility, and 
was accordingly awarded a First-class Certificate. 
Since then it has bean tried by many gardeners all 
over the country, and found worthy of the many high 
encomiums given it ; indeed,the gardeners themselves 
have been loud in its praise. The haulm is usually 
about 15 in. to 18 in high, but short jointed, so that 
the pods are produced in close succession, and being 
borne in pairs the total quantity produced is very 
considerable. While the variety is as early as 
American Wonder, it is a much heavier cropper. 
For an early Pea, the psds are remarkable in being 
half as long again as most, if not all, of the very 
early dwarf Peas ; and they are closely packed with 
eight to ten seeds of good size and first-class quality. 
They are more or less curved, as will be seen by re¬ 
ference to the accompanying illustration, for which 
we are indebted to Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Ltd., 
Chelsea. We noted it in the trial at Chiswick, when 
it was brought prominently before the public, and 
were impressed with the dwarf habit, earliness, and 
prolific nature of the variety. 
TELEPHONE. 
This well-known wrinkled Pea is highly prized for 
second and general crops. Its beautiful form and 
general appearance have made it a great favourite 
with exhibitors, and its excellent qualities have made 
it a desideratum for many years for table use. It 
is rather tall (5 ft.), and should, therefore, be sown 
widely enough apart to give it all the advantages of 
light and air. The pods are long and well filled with 
ten to twelve Peas of exquisite flavour. The accom¬ 
panying illustration, lent us by Messrs. H. Cannell & 
Sons, Swanley, Kent, will recall to mind the beautiful 
form and fine appearance of the variety. It was 
originally a selection from Telegraph, which has the 
honour of being the forerunner of all the long-podded 
Peas now in cultivation, and which deservedly receive 
a large share of attention from gardeners and growers 
everywhere. Telephone was accorded a First-class 
Cestificate by the Royal Horticultural Society as 
long ago as June 27th, 1878. 
PEAS FOR SCOTTISH GARDENS. 
I have not found successful Pea culture in the North 
to difler materially from what I have practised in 
the East, West and South of England. High altitude 
is often a means of retarding the crop somewhat, but 
where sheltered borders can be used for very early,and 
latest crops, the season of Pea gathering may be pro¬ 
longed considerably. In a few Midlothian Nurseries 
I have seen Peas in great quantity, (which were pro¬ 
tected from frost) as late as the second week in 
November. In the valley of the Forth (Stirlingshire), 
it is with difficulty that small supplies of the hardiest 
sorts can be had after the middle of October. 
In Scotland the practice of sowing during Novem¬ 
ber, for earliest gatherings, is less common than it 
was 30 years ago. Where the situation is damp and 
the land heavy, such a practice neccessitates pains 
to keep the seed free from vermin. Mice are 
often troublesome ; also slugs. The first are warded 
off by sprinkling red lead over the seed before it is 
covered with soil — which is better to be of a kindly 
nature, such as leaf mould and siftings of old potting- 
bench soil. Sowing on the surface, in rows covered 
with fine soil, is suitable where the ground is damp 
and heavy, and as the green tops appear dustings 
of finely sifted ashes and soot afford protection from 
frost, and render the Peas safe from the attacks of 
slugs and sparrows ; but early staking and netting is 
in some localities necessary to prevent the ravages 
of birds. 
Where frames can be spared the raising of Peas is 
more satisfactory. When sown under glass, strips of 
turf are placed 6 in. apart, and the Peas sown along 
Telephone. 
them, as thickly as they are to be planted out, and 
covered with light soil — old mushroom manure, fine 
ashes, charcoal dust or leaf mould suits well. 
When the Peas come through the soil they are freely 
exposed to light and air. The lights are only used 
to throw off wet and when frost is severe, coddling 
