February 4, 1905. 
The Gardening World 
MOTTO FOR THE WEEK: 
“’Tis sweet to visit the still wood, where springs the first flower of the plain.”— Longfellow. 
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\ July 4 —APHELANDRA AURANTIACA 
> ROEZLII ^ 
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\ January 2 —HYBRID TEA-SCENTED ; 
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^SUBTROPICAL GARDEN AT ALDENHAM 
i HOUSE. 
| The prize last week in the Readers’ 1 
\ Competition was awarded to “ T. G. F.,” 
■ for his article on “ Hardy Cyclamens,” ' 
* P. 74. < 
Views and Reviews. 
The Best Sweet Peas. # 
Some useful information concerning Sweet 
Peas having been got together from various 
parts of the British Isles, it was resolved 
to publish the same in a separate form, and 
accordingly it now appears as a pamphlet of 
56 pp., forming a companion to the informa¬ 
tion published as a book in the bicentenary 
year as a memento of the bicentenary 
celebration. Since the last named period 
there can be no doubt that much good has 
been accomplished by the National Sweet 
Pea Society and its adherents. Order has 
been created out of disorder, and the work 
of the society is kept in view and frequently 
quoted on both sides of the Atlantic. 
Previous to the bicentenary in 1900, 
Sweet Peas of a most antiquated order 
were to be found in various gardens in dif¬ 
ferent parts of the country jostling each 
other and also the splendid acquisitions 
that have since almost entirely taken their 
place. No doubt it still remains true that 
some people will adhere to their favourite 
old varieties for a time, but it is satisfactory 
to note that in the bulk of gardens where 
Sweet Peas are admired the growers have 
a desire to get the very best, and for this 
reason the very best varieties may be found 
in very remote parts of Britain, even if only 
grown in mixture ; but the fact remains that 
they have ousted the old-fashioned and 
small-flowered varieties, very often of some 
indefinite mixture of blue-purple, red-purple, 
and other rampant growing sorts, that al¬ 
most inevitably destroy the finer varieties 
when grown for any number of years in mix¬ 
ture. Sweet Peas are, of course, invited 
from all quarters, and uninterestedly put to 
an equal test by those concerned, with the 
result that seed growers and individual or 
private growers are equally satisfied with 
the results. 
It was inevitable that the work of the 
society should be the means of bringing for¬ 
ward more new varieties on both sides of 
the Atlantic, hut the older and less hand¬ 
some varieties have receded at an 
equal pace, or if anything the least valua¬ 
ble varieties have disappeared at a greater 
rate, as every cultivator who has once tried 
it learns that it is just as easy to grow the 
*“The Sweet Pea Year Book for 1905.” The official 
publication of the National Sweet Pea Society. Edited b. 
Horace J. Wright, E.R.H.S., and Charles H. Curtis. F.R.H.3 
To be obtained from Horace J. Wright, 32, Dault Road 
Wandsworth, London. Price Is., post free Is. 2d. 
best as to grow the worst. When the 
society first commenced its work there was 
an outcry that it would proceed to bring 
about alterations in the flower, making it 
regular and what not; whereas, on the other 
hand, all the members, with very few excep¬ 
tions, are endeavouring not only to main¬ 
tain the irregularity of the flower, but also 
the beauty and symmetry of its shape. Ac¬ 
cording to the trend of opinion in every di¬ 
rection at present, it is evident that no one 
will be ever able to outline all the petals of 
the Sweet Pea by means of a compass. It is 
essentially an irregular flower, and in that 
lies its great distinction and its beauty. 
In 1903 an audit of all the varieties shown 
at the annual exhibition was made, and the 
results were so generally well received that 
this was again repeated at the Crystal Palace 
last year, when 1,561 bunches were shown, 
including a total of 107 varieties. The 
number of times that each of these varie¬ 
ties was shown is positive evidence that 
they were worthy in proportion to that 
number of entries. It is not merely the 
opinion of a privileged few, but everyone 
who exhibited at the show, and we may take 
it for granted that everyone competed with 
the object of taking prizes, and therefore 
showed his or her best. 
Out of these 107 varieties Miss Willmott 
heads the list, having been shown sixty-five 
times by competitive exhibitors. This is 
followed by Black Knight, with sixty-four ; 
Dorothy Eckford with sixty-two; and Lady 
Grizel Hamilton with fifty-six. It is'suffi¬ 
cient also that out of all that number only 
twenty were only shown once. Very nearly 
half of them were shown at least ten times, 
and as these figures gradually mount up to¬ 
wards the numbers first quoted above, it may 
be said that such varieties represent the 
Sweet Peas which, in the opinion of that 
number of exhibitors, were of the best, and 
capable of taking prizes. At the same time 
it may be remembered that a Sweet Pea 
that is good for exhibition purposes is good 
for any other purpose. A few monstrosi¬ 
ties have appeared in cultivation from time 
to time, but the fact remains that competi¬ 
tors know well that they have no chance of 
success on the exhibition table. All these 
people, then, have a voice practically in the 
selection of Sweet Peas. 
We may say that the Sweet Pea Society 
practically enforces the retention of at least 
nineteen varieties, representing so many dis¬ 
tinct colours or classes of colours. Under each 
of those nineteen, however, there are usually 
many other varieties from which to select, 
