July 28, 1900. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
765 
HISTORY OF THE SWEET PEA. 
(Concluded from p. 742.) 
1837. We now come to the operations of Messrs. 
James Carter & Co. I find in Mr. Carter's 
list for 1837, that he offers about the same 
kinds as were in vogue at the commence¬ 
ment of the century, with the addition of 
striped, but whether he originated this kind 
or not I am unable to say, as we regret 
having no list of his older than 1837. As he 
was looked upon by Loudon and other great 
horticulturists of the day to be the greatest 
living authority on the seeds of the garden, 
there is no doubt that he took the Sweet 
Pea under his wing as he did other plants. 
1845 and 1849. In 184^ he offers for the first time 
new striped Sweet Pea, and in 1849, new 
large purple Sweet Pea. This will convince 
you of his interest in this particular 
flower. 
i860. I have traced through several seed catalogues 
and cannot find any other additions to the 
list until we come to ihe blue edged as 
brought out by us in i860. Sweet Peas 
were only in their infancy in popular favour 
in these days, and we did not submit this 
variety to the Royal Horticultural Society 
until August 22nd, 1883, when it was given 
their First-class Certificate. It was under¬ 
stood to have been a true cross between the 
annual white Sweet Pea and the perennial 
Lord Anson's blue. It was the outcome of 
a series of experiments made with the object 
of raising a real blue flowered variety by 
Major Trevor Clarke of Daventry. 
1865. As far as our records go the first First-class 
Certificate of the R.H.S. was awarded to 
Scarlet Invincible on July nth, 1865. Al¬ 
though we did not actually raise this Pea 
(it was created by a neighbouring seed 
grower), we had a good deal to do with its 
introduction to the public, as it will be found 
both illustrated and described in our seed 
catalogue for 1866. This is the first illus¬ 
tration of a novelty in Sweet Peas that I 
have been able to find in any seedsman’s 
catalogue. 
1871. Mr. C. Sharpe offers a Pea called Princess of 
Prussia, new with rosy lilac flower. I don’t 
know if he was its originator, but I have 
not been able to trace it elsewhere in that 
year. 
1878. The next introduction was one of our own, 
and we consider the Sweet Pea I am now 
going to describe as the forerunner of all 
the large flowering types so popular. Indeed, 
when I read you the description we attached 
to our announcement, you will admit that 
this opinion has been more than justified, in 
some respects it seems prophetic. The 
coloured illustration that accompanied is, so 
far as we can trace, the first that ever 
appeared of a Sweet Pea novelty in a seed 
catalogue. 
A New and Distinct Sweet Pea— 
Violet Queen. 
It is now several years since any novel 
form of this popular flower has been intro¬ 
duced,and the charming variety offered above 
will, we feel sure, be universally welcomed. 
Violet Queen Sweet Pea originated at our 
Seed Farms, and whilst we are thus enabled 
to give it most unqualified recommendation, 
we cannot, we feel sure, speak in too great 
praise of its beauty and novel character. It 
is dwarfer in habit than the other varieties, 
and the seed is also quite distinct in appear¬ 
ance, the flowers ranging in colour from 
deep mauve petals to light violet at the keel, 
suggestive of the beautiful Bougainvillea. 
Our manager at the St. Osyth Seed Farm 
considers this Pea to be entitled a sub¬ 
species, and for the uses of botanical regis¬ 
tration we purpose identifying it as Lathyrus 
odoratus heterosperma—and we look for¬ 
ward with much interest to other introduc¬ 
tions from this parentage, which appears 
likely to be the forerunner of quite a new 
form of this favourite summer flower. 
1882. We introduced Adonis. 
1883. Carmine Rose was introduced by Messrs. 
Hurst, but I cannot now find it in their 
catalogue. 
I think I have now convinced you that we are 
fylly entitled to fill the link of the chain between 
the original types and those of Mr. Eckford, now so 
popular; and, so far as I can trace, nothing was 
done for Sweet Peas beyond Mr. Carter from 1837 
to 1871, and until Mr. Eckford received the first 
recognition of his work in the early eighties, which 
we are pleased to give him due credit for. 
You may ask, why did we not go on with the work 
of creating new types. The fact is, in the conduct 
of a large establishment like ours, it is exceedingly 
difficult to devote sole attention to any one tribe of 
plants where thousands of things are dealt with in 
the course of a year. 
Some writers on the Sweet Pea pretend to use 
illustrations several centuries old. As far as I 
have seen them, they have been taken from old 
Herbals and represent the Everlasting Pea, a species 
which grows wild in certain parts of the country and 
is without scent. * 
The first and only true representation of the Sweet 
Pea is that in Plukenet’s Herbarium, now located at 
the Natural History Museum at South Kensington. 
I saw the actual specimen one day this week, and 
I believe this to represent the first plant brought to 
England. 
Amongst the 200 sorts we have now growing in 
these grounds are included all the latest types that 
have been put on the market. 
We have also obtained several from America, and 
are sorry to find that amongst the latter many old 
favourites under new names. 
The dwarf types, of which the first was called 
Cupid, also come from the United States. 
It may interest you to know that during the last 
eighteen months we have handled thirty-one tons of 
seed, which is convincing proof of the popularity of 
this beautiful hardy annual. 
We are also showing some seeds of various types 
to illustrate their distinctive characteristics. 
You will notice particularly the seed of Violet 
Queen, as being distinct from any other variety, the 
seed having prominent corners, whereas all previously 
and most of the varieties since introduced are per¬ 
fectly round. 
The seed of Countess of Radnor, you will observe, 
looks as if it were a badly harvested sample, but this 
is not so. The fact is, the flowers of this variety are 
so beautiful that they seem to put forth their full 
strength in the petals, disarranging the reproductive 
organs so that little nourishment is left for the pro¬ 
duction of seeds. 
We also exhibit a sample of white Sweet Pea seed, 
which you will observe is light coloured, and another 
variety which is almost black. The sample shown 
of mixed Sweet Peas may also be considered to be 
interesting. 
In conclusion, I would just state that we are 
offering a fifteen-guinea silver cup to the gardener or 
amateur who exhibits the finest collection of Sweet 
Peas at the Crystal Palace Show. Particulars are 
given in the schedule. , 
- « »- 
FRUIT TREES AT FOREST HILL. 
As a rule southern nurserymen, even though they 
may cultivate and supply all classes of garden stock, 
are usually best known from their identity with a 
certain section or genus of plants. The present is a 
case in point. It surprised the writer, as no doubt it 
would surprise many another person, to view the 
nursery of Messrs. J. Laing and Sons, Forest Hill. 
London, S E., and their acres of fruit trees and 
bushes of all description, including shrubs, Roses 
and hardy plants. A visit had been made to see the 
splendid strain of tuberous Begonias by which the 
firm is most widely known, and though great collec¬ 
tions of large, cleaD, finely formed and magnificently 
coloured fruits had been witnessed coming from the 
Messrs. Laing, it bad never been considered that 
this phase of garden furnishing was so liberally 
attended to. At the present time in their fruit-tree 
nursery they have an orchard-house filled with 
young pot Peach, Nectarine and Pear trees. A finer 
lot it would be difficult to find. They are all in large 
pots, and each plant is both producing stout wood 
and a good crop of fruits. These by the end of the 
season will have formed fine bushy plants suitable 
for forcing next season. Pitmaston Duchess, Louise 
Bonne of Jersey, Marie Louise, Marie Benoist, and 
Mdrae. Treyve, were included among the Pears of 
the orchard-house. The Peaches were more numer¬ 
ous. Two good Strawberries were also pointed out 
by Mr. Laflan, the foreman in charge of this section. 
These new varieties of Strawberries are Jarles and 
General Chauncy. The latter is the better flavoured 
of the two and is slightly deeper coloured. The 
shoulders are sloping so that the berry on the whole 
is oval. The flavour Is quite distinct, sharp and very 
agreeable. Jarles is lighter in colour and milder in 
flavour. Water Melons are belDg grown in pots and 
trained as any of the ordinary garden varieties. So 
far they appear to be quite content. 
Out of doors the trees, all in a young state and in 
splendid condition, are doing remarkably well this 
season. The frequent showers have kept them free 
from insect pests such as greenfly or American 
blight, and beiDg in a capital piece of soil, the growth 
is marvellously fine. The training process had just 
been started on the occasion of a recent visit, so that 
by this time many of the younger horizontally trained 
and fan-shaped trees will be more into the form of 
their future selves. Certainly no better Apricots 
could be found anywhere in the country than those 
at Forest Hill. And it is not as though the wood 
was unduly coarse, for though luxuriant it is yet 
even and of fine quality for forming a good fruiting 
framework. Care is taken to have all young wood 
thoroughly ripened each autumn, and so soon as the 
lines of Peach, Apple, Pear or Plum trees become 
too closely massed, they are lifted and rearranged in 
the autumn. Thus the roots, by the shifting, never 
become too rampant but form that fine fibrous 
quality without which good fruit and plenty of it is 
not possible. 
Apples on the Paradise stock for wall cordons and 
others on the Crab for orchard standards are as fine 
as the Apricots, the Peaches and the Plums. A 
mulching is afforded to some of the Apples, for in a 
dry season, even with good deep loamy soil, young 
plants shifted in winter time are apt to suffer from 
drought in summer. Particularly good was Peas- 
good’s Nonsuch, Lord Derby, Stirling Castle, Bis¬ 
marck, King of the Pippins, Alexander, Celini 
Pippin and indeed all the Pippins were vigorous, 
clean, well-shaped and fruitful. It is a great point 
to have trees with these merits. If they have not 
got a robust constitution and free from disease to 
start with, few have skill enough to bring them up 
to a proper standard of perfection afterwards. 
Manx Codlin was good; as also was Golden Spire, 
Lord Suffield, Lord Grosvenor, Norfolk Beefing and 
Worcester Pearmain. Of these latter varieties there 
are some valuable three-year-old trees. It will be 
seen from the selection of varieties already named 
that all the choicest and most recommendable sorts 
are propagated and grown, and it is just the same 
with the Pears. Such dessert Pears as Souvenir du 
Congres, Pitmaston Duchess, Doyenne du Comice, 
Durondeau, Beurr6 Clairgeau, Winter Nellis, 
Doyenne Boussoch, Clapp's Favourite, Jargonelle, 
Emile d'Heyst, &c. ; and the stewing Pears Catillac, 
Uvedale’s St. Germain, Vicar of Winkfield, and 
such like, are grown in liberal quantities. 
Almonds are being raised in goodly numbers. 
Last year, according to information, Almond trees 
could not be had for love or money. So many are 
beiDg used in decorative planting and for Peach 
stock, &c., that the demand sqpms to have exceeded 
the supply. Still, one should scarcely have thought 
Almond trees would have been less numerous than 
the demand for them. Standard Cherries are 
grown. 
Roses, herbaceous plants and ornamental trees and 
shrubs, including a specially fine collection of Ivies, 
are under Mr. Laflan's charge. Of the Roses, Mrs. 
John Laing, the most popular H P. there is, as is 
natural, finds large accommodation, or rather occu¬ 
pies large accommodation, and, of course, the best 
of the other Roses, chiefly H.P.'s, such as Caroline 
Testout, Clio, Duke of Edinburgh, Dupuy Jamain, 
Charles Lefebvre, Margaret Dickson, Gen. Jacque¬ 
minot, &c., find a place. Teas and H.T.'s are also 
favoured. Of China and Provence Roses some 
20,000 plants are grown. Other kinds, and all forms 
of trained Roses as has been said, are likewise grown 
by the hundred or thousand as the case may be. So 
we see that though the Messrs. Laing do an enormous 
trade in tuberous Begonias, they are not behind in 
the other and wider departments of the nurseryman's 
business. 
