THE GARDENING WORLD 
October 1, 1904, 
ibb 
On the Editor’s Tabic. 
A Fine Melon. 
With, this note I enclose a Melon (not by far one of our 
best specimens) which I have grown with much success many 
years, having proved it to be the best for all-round purposes, 
and far superior to many others. 
Some twenty years ago : it took first prizei in a London ex¬ 
hibition! in a strong competition for flavour 1 . Perhaps' you will 
kindly pass your opinion upon it through the columns of The 
G-ardening World. I may mention that this, now forms our 
main crop', though I at timesi try new varieties. We employ 
about thirty lights in its culture, and rarely lose a plant, which 
shows its constitution. Wei commence cutting in the second 
week of May, and continue until December.—W. Birkenshaw. 
Our correspondent sends no name with this variety, but we 
quite agree with what lie says about its excellence. The fruit 
sent us was moderate in. size, with a thin grey rind beautifully 
netted. The flesh was of rich green, and of remarkable depth, 
the cavity in the centre being quite small and tilled with seeds. 
After lying in our office for a fortnight, it was in a perfect 
condition, for table, the flesh being juicy, melting, and of re¬ 
markably sweet, and fine flavour even for this period of the - 
year. Melons are readily affected by cultivation, and the 
amount of sunshine they get, but evidently Mr. Birkenshaw isi 
a. very successful cultivator to maintain the standard of quality 
in Iris Melon after cultivation extending over a. period of twenty 
years or more. It also speaks volumes for the constitution of 
the plant to retain its vigour undiminished in the same estab¬ 
lishment for such a period of time. 
Sweet Peas from Furness. 
The season of 1904 seems to have been more favourable on 
the whole for a. continuation of Sweet Peas; than we recollect 
for some years past. In the north, Sweet Peas are always 
late, so that when we have seen the S weet Pea, season, come and 
go in, the south it proves quite a fresh surprise to us, when we 
see -them once more in all their glory in the, northern, parts; of 
Great Britain or in Ireland during September. 
A large box of bunches of his, favourite varieties has been 
sent us by Mr. A. R. Wilson,, gardener to N. J. Synnott, Esq., 
Naas; Nig., co. Kildare. Each variety is represented by a 
large: bunch, and though the blooms 1 are smaller than they 
would he on vigorous young plants ini July, they are, neverthe¬ 
less 1 , remarkably fresh and sweetly scented. White varieties 
are represented by Sadiei Burpee, Practically, there are three 
varieties; it" not four, that growers must have, and not all of 
them are agreed as to' which is the very best variety. Possibly, 
in, some gardens, one of any of the four may give, more satis¬ 
faction: than the rest, asi they are somewhat peculiar in their 
behaviour in, certain seasons'. 
Yellow isi represented by the Hon. Mrs 1 . Kenyon, which we 
consider one of the very best of its class, the flowers in this 
instance hieing very much larger than those of Sadie Burpee 
and true to colour. A charming salmbii-buft' variety is that 
named Venus; the salmon tint, being chiefly distributed over 
the standard, although the wings are also more or less tinted, 
the ground colour being of a decided creamy-buff. Although 
closely allied, Countess of Latham is, soft, pink, tinted with 
salmon and yellow in the half-expanded state, the two making 
good companions'. 
There are growers 1 and admirers who consider that Navy 
Blue- is, the best of this colour, but if Count,essi Cadogan, lacks 
the inteuisienessi of the former, it certainly possesses a' bright¬ 
ness! which places it, in the first class amongst blue varieties 
•hitherto obtained. The standard is tinted with purple; but 
the Wings are a very bright light blue, and certainly very 
effective; whether in the out state or on the plant. Lady 
Grizel Hamilton, the best of the la,vender shades; was in very 
fine condition and almost as well coloured a,s> ini July. 
The darker shades were represented by some of the very 
best of each respective colour. Prince of Wales represented 
the rose shades, and it is certainly a charming Sweet Pea., of a 
bright, intense rose on the standard, with paler wings. Miss 
Willmott isi one of the orangei shades; and may be described as 
rosy-pink, heavily overlaid with a warm, rich orange on the 
standard. The flower, like several of those previously named, 
still retains its large size. Salopian has enjoyed a, run of 
popular favour ever since it made its debut as a new variety. 
This popularity is likely to continue for many years if the 
variety continues to produce its brilliant crimson flowers in 
such quantity and constancy as it has done in years past. It 
has one little fault in veiy dry weather with a, burning sun, 
and that is, the veins assume a mulberry colour, thus mixing 
the purity of the rich crimson. That is the fault of the season 
rather than the Pea,, as there isi nothing otherwise to report 
against it. 
Once more we have an instance of the favour with which 
America is received as the best striped Sweet Pea. It might 
be described as shaded or washed with brilliant crimson and 
mottled with purple on a white ground. These colours are 
always s:o well •contrasted as to give almost every cultivator 
an excuse for 1 including a ^striped variety on- two, in his collec¬ 
tion. Othello is one of the best of the maroon varieties, and 
the bunch sent, usi was certainly as dark as we have seen, though 
the standard lacked the metallic hue so; characteristic of Bore- 
atton, and which took the public favour when it was first put 
into; commerce. The flowers of that variety arei not so large, 
however; nor so dark as those of Othello. 
Accompanying the Sweet Peas, was a, bunch of a clear yellow 
Viola, having two violet, blotches on the lateral petals and 
violet-brown rays, on, the, lip. Judging from the spray sent, it, 
flowers very profusely, but we do not recollect seeing its name. 
Sweet Peas from the South. 
Another correspondent,, who sign® himself “ C.,” sends us a 
dozen Sweet Peas, from an early March sowing. He had pre¬ 
viously noted the Sweet Peas on our table from, Wem and from 
Aberdeen, and thought we might as, well have, some from the 
south,—“ rock-bottom south,” he calls it—to show how favour¬ 
able the season has: been to Sweet, Peas throughout the British 
Isles,. Only three of the varieties sent by the previous corres¬ 
pondent were duplicated in this,—namely, the Hon. Mrs. Ken¬ 
yon, Lady Grizel Hamilton, and Salopian. Other fine varieties 
lie sends usi are Lord Rosebery (rose), Admiration, (mauve), 
King Edward VII. (crimson), and Mrs. W. Wright, a mauve and 
purple variety. All of these were flowers; of wonderful size for 
the south of England at this season of the year, and must repre¬ 
sent a, good deal of core in cultivation to' preserve them from a 
March sowing. The season, altogether, however, has not been 
so severe upon Sweet Peas a® the average has been during the 
past deicadei. 
Earliest of All, re-selected, is, merely a, variety of Blanche 
Ferry, so that we are surprised to see it so late in the season. 
T'hei darkest variety sent, was Duke of Westminster, also very 
good of its kind, but, not so dark as Othello. There were also 
some instances; of sporting in this collection. A bunch of 
Triumph showed that the flowers had sported into' a. spotted 
and striped variety, the ground colour of which was much 
darker than the original. In like manner, Grey Friar, a 
striped variety belonging to the blue and purple section, had 
given rise to Senator, another striped variety received with 
considerable favour in, America. Very interesting was the 
black-seeded Sadie Burpee, the flowers of which were finely 
tinted with pink on the standard, the whole flower becoming a 
delicate pink when; fading. 
He> also sent a white variety of Mignonette named the 
Diamond, in reply to our correspondent Mr. R. Thatcher, who 
writes upon “Winter Mignonette 1 ” on page 746. This is a 
very sweetly scented variety. 
Big Marrow. —Mr. Smith, of Ax minster, has a green Vege¬ 
table Marrow growing in his garden which measures 44m. m 
circumference. 
