776 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
August 7, 1897. 
Hints for Amateurs. 
SWEET PEAS. 
Up to the time of writing, the summer 
of 1897 has done nothing to specially distin¬ 
guish itself from other summers. We have had 
plenty of sunshine, it is true, but not a long con¬ 
tinuance of drought such as we suffered during the 
early and middle part of the summer of last year. 
The last week in June and the four weeks in 
July of this year have been a fairly dry experience, 
and plants were having a trying time of it all round 
until the recent rains helped to put a different ap¬ 
pearance on plant life. The trying conditions, 
however, were due rather to the great dryness of the 
atmosphere, and the equally great heat of the sun, 
rather than to a long-continued spell of bright 
weather. The effects of the season are very marked 
upon the Sweet Peas At numbers of shows, both 
local and central, some really grand flowers have 
been staged. The size, indeed, has been above the 
average, and the colours as vivid and well developed 
as could possibly be desired, 
Amongst hardy flowers the Sweet Pea has mono¬ 
polised a considerable portion of attention during 
recent years. Not a whit too much, be it said, for, 
given a fair average season, there is nothing that 
can be more confidently expected to give a good 
account of itself. Such florists as Mr. Henry 
Eckford, of Wem, Salop, and Messrs. Atlee, Burpee, 
of the United States, America, have dorie wonders 
for the charming flower. Size, form, colour, habit 
have all been improved, and in no other subject do 
we get more numerous and more delicate shades of 
colour than we find in the Sweet Pea. Ultimate 
excellence is, however, more than ever a matter in 
which good cultivation has the casting v;te. The 
more highly-bred florists' varieties are very sensitive 
to good or bad treatment 
A row of Sweet Peas will continue to bloom for a 
long time unless the weather is exceptionally hot and 
dry, but by dint of sowing early and sowing late 
with successional sowings in between, they may be 
had in bloom the whole summer through, and right 
up into the autumn UDtil frost applies the closure. 
Thus an early sowing may be made in February as 
the weather permits, the same rules governing the 
sowing of Sweet Peas as of culinary Peas. Thus 
successional sowings may be made through March 
and April, the latest lot of seed being confided to the 
ground about the middle of May to furnish plants 
for very late blooming. 
Where cut flowers are required in quantities the 
boon of such a supply as is thus afforded can scarcely 
be over-estimated. The flowers themselves are free 
from every appearance of stiffness. Made up in 
bunches with their own foliage for the filling of vases 
for the sideboard, the boudoir, or the drawing-room, 
no one can gainsay their beauty and their effectiveness. 
They can be relied upon to furnish glowing masses 
of colour without the accompanying stiffness and 
formality so common to many other plants. Even a 
tyro in the art of the arrangement of flowers can put 
up Sweet Peas to advantage. Here the many and 
subtle shades of colour stand the novice in good 
stead, for a bunch of mixed varieties gathered at hap¬ 
hazard rarely shows a clash of colours, the decided 
tints being softened and assisted by the numerous 
half tones. A dinner table entirely dressed with 
Sweet Peas and suitable greenery can scarcely be 
surpassed. The flowers for the most part have long 
stalks, and may thus be u:iiised to fill both small 
and large vases, epergnes, glasses and all the other 
little knick-knacks which find a place in floral 
decorations of this kind. 
But the value of the flowers is not represented 
entirely by the uses to which they can be turned 
indoors. As they stand in the flower garden they 
are of the utmost service. A well blcomed row, 
for instance, with the brightly-hued flowers drooping 
carelessly from every twig of the supports, flowers 
and greenery delicately adjusted with regard to pro¬ 
portion is a sight that cannot be overpraised. 
Neither is it too common a one, more's the pity, 
although it is well within the reach of the greater 
majority of amateurs whose gardens are other than 
of Lilliputian size. 
Rows or clumps of Sweet Peas again come in 
splendidly for masking undesirable objects. A heap 
of rubbish, a manure tub, or other objectionable but 
often necessary adjuncts to a garden may thus be 
easily screened from view at a comparatively small 
cost. 
The number of varieties forthcoming is legion, 
and the aspiring amateur may well be appalled when 
called upon to wade through such a formidable list 
in order to make his choice. The following is a 
selection of good and trustworthy varieties. They 
are all very distinct and thus cover a good deal of 
the colour range, although there are scores of inter¬ 
mediate shades to be filled in. This, of course, can 
only be attempted by those who have plenty of rcom, 
and it may also be said a fair proportion of this 
world s goods, wherewith to purchase that which 
they require. 
Blanche Burpee.—This is without doubt the finest 
white variety in cultivation. The habit is strong and 
vigorous, and the seed, if purchased from a trust¬ 
worthy source should therefore be sown rather thinly- 
The flowers themselves are of giant size and are very 
freely produced. By keeping them cut each day the 
plants may be kept in bloom for a surprisingly long 
time. The standard or large upper petal of the 
flower has an entire margin, the notch which is to be 
seen in Emily Henderson being absent. If there is 
only room for one white variety Blanche Burpee un¬ 
doubtedly deserves the choice. 
Emily Henderson is another good white that has 
much to recommend it. It is also a large and fine 
flower but scarcely so vigorous as Blanche Burpee. 
The standard instead of being entire as in the latter 
variety has a deep notch in it, and the two varieties 
may thus be easily distinguished from each other. 
Queen Victoria.—The yellows are not nearly so 
strong in numbers and quality as the whites, roses, 
pinks and blues ; Queen Victoria is the finest of them 
up to date, The flowers and very large and creamy- 
3 ellow in hue. There is a suspicion of light purple 
at the bases of the petals. 
Coquette is a couple of shades lighter yellow, and 
may be described as light primrose. A subtle tint of 
rose is evident sometimes, and a very charming flower 
is the result. Both Coquette and Queen Victoria 
deserve a place in every collection, although if only 
one can be grown Queen Victoria is to be slightly 
preferred. 
Eliza Eckford,—This received an Award of Merit 
at the hands of the floral committee of the Royal 
Horticultural Society in 1803. The groundcolour is 
white, both standard and the wings (side petals) are 
striated with rose, the striation on the standard being 
rather heavier and bolder than that upon the wings. 
The appearance of the flower may be somewhat 
garish, but it is one of the very best of it class. 
Lady Mary Currie is a novelty that has received 
an Award of Merit from the Royal Horticultural 
Society only this season. The colour is bright rose, 
the standard showing a slight shading off to a lighter 
tint. 
Lady Beaconsfield is a variety of a number of years 
standing, but withal unsurpassed as yet by anything 
in its line, It received the Royal Horticultural 
Society's Award of Merit in 1892. The wings and 
keel (lower petal) are sulphur-yellow. The standard 
may be described as salmon, suffused more or less 
with rose. 
Alice Eckford is white with a creamy-yellow 
standard suffused with rose—a delicately beautiful 
combination of colours. 
Salopian is one of the very best of its kind, and its 
merit has been recognised by First-class Certificates 
at Wolverhampton, Dundee, Birmingham and 
Edinburgh, as well as having an Award of Merit 
conferred upon it in 1896 by the Royal Horticultural 
Society. The colour is deep crimson with a suffusion 
of orange. When the sun is shining full upon these 
flowers the effect is superb. 
Mars obtained the coveted A. M. from the Royal 
Horticultural Society in 1895. The flowers are rich 
fiery-crimson in hue, but without the orange to be 
seen in Salopian. The crimson intensifies with age. 
Prima Donna exhibits one of those delightful 
shades of soft pink that are well nigh indescribable. 
It is a little deeper than flesh pink, which would seem 
to be the nearest approach to description at wh'ch 
we can arrive. 
Stanley is distinct among all as the finest dark 
variety yet introduced, although it obtained an 
Award of Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society 
as far back as 1890. It is described as being a deep 
maroon self, but this scarcely conveys a true idea of 
its depth of hue, for when the sun is not shining full 
upon it, it appears nearly black. 
Dorothy Tennant exhibits a delicate shade of 
mauve with a suspicion of rose, on occasion. 
Countess of Radnor, certificated by the Royal 
Horticultural Society in 1891, is yet unsurpassed as 
a lavender-olue flower of great size and substance. 
Countess of Powis, rose, flushed with apricot, is 
another of the finest of the newer varieties. 
The following are all good varieties, to which 
short descriptions of colour are appended. They 
might well be included in a collection by those who 
can afford the space. 
Royal Rose, rose, with a carmine centre to the 
standard. 
Senator, white, heavily striped with purple-black. 
Venus, yellow, flushed with rose. 
Princess of Wales, white, heavily streaked with 
violet. 
Duke of Clarence, deep violet-purple, one of the 
best of its kind. 
Peach Blossom, delicate rose-pink. 
Gaiety, white striated purple-rose. 
Novelty, rosy magenta.— Rex. 
- «*- - 
Correspondence. 
Questions asked by amateurs on any subject pertaining 
to gardens or gardening will be answered on this page. 
A nyone may give additional or more explanatory answers 
to questions that have already appeared. Those who desire 
their communications to appear on this page should write 
" Amateurs' Page " on the top of their letters. 
Ericas— The plants will be better out of doors for 
the remainder of the summer, R. 0 , Swindon. The 
advantage of a turn out of dcors to ripen up the 
growths is particularly noticeable in such forms as^ 
E. Cavendishii, and, in fact, all the yellow-flowered 
ones. You will find it advisable to plunge the pots 
to the rims in ashes. 
Old Red Currant Trees —From your description 
of the trees, Amateur, we should strongly advise you 
to pull them up root and branch, and fill their places 
with young ones in the autumn. You will never do 
anything with such old stagers—at least, not enough 
to pay for the trouble. Besides, young Currant 
bushes are cheap enough to buy, and soon come into 
bearing. 
Potting Odontoglossuma.—I have several Odonto- 
glossums, including O Alexandrae, O. Pescatorei, 
and O. grande that look as if they needed fresh stuff 
to grow in. Shall I have to wait until next spring in 
order to pot the plants ? A neighbour of mine says 
that spring is the only time of the year suitable. 
The neighbour is wrong this time at any rate. 
The very best season of the year to pot Odontoglots 
is the beginning of autumn, say about the end of. 
September. You can pot your plants then with: 
perfect safety, and every hope of their doing well. 
Autumn-potted plants have a capital chance of. 
getting established in their new quarters before the? 
very hot weather comes to try them. 
Ferns. —I have a cool greenhouse which is entirely- 
filled with Ferns. These appear to be in good' 
health, but for the last month they have been putting, 
on a yellow appearance. The house is shaded with 
tiffany, and I am careful to keep plenty of water 
thrown about. Can you suggest the cause of the 
yellowness ?— L. L. R. 
We should ascribe it to the hot weather. No 
matter how you shade, Ferns always seem to go more 
or less yellow in the summer. The atmosphere is 
dry and very trying to them. You might give them 
a little soot water twice a week. This will help to 
bring back the green which they have lost. 
Erythrina crista galli, —Possibly your plant has 
not sufficient strength to flower, Topic. Give it a 
position where it will get plenty of light, and feed it 
well ; it may then bear flowers this season after all. 
We have from time to time seen plants that were 
poked about in odd corners, shaded from the sun, 
and nearly starved to death, and they never flowered. 
The plant will require to be pruned back in the 
autumn, and may be kept dry through the winter, 
If you plant it outside you must cover the rootstock 
with a layer of manure or leaves to afford it some 
protection from the frost, 
Rose Horace Yernet. —Enquirer '. This Rose was 
raised by MM. Guillot fils and sent out in 1866. 
