February 8, 1908. , THE GARDENING WORLD. 
New . . 
- Melon - 
Suieet Pea Novelties 
FOR 1908. 
1 —By THOMAS DUNCAN. 
Amongst Melons, we now have varieties 
with green, white and scarlet flesh. The 
latter is a term that is now popularly 
used, but salmon-red would more nearly 
explain the particular shade of colour. 
These three extreme shades of colour 
may, however, be intermixed in the com¬ 
bining of the qualities of two good varie¬ 
ties of different colours. The variety 
mentioned, being put into commerce this 
year for the first time, was the result of a 
cross between Shamrock, a green fleshed 
variety, and Hero of Lockinge, a popular 
variety with a white flesh. The flesh of 
Eminence is of a shade just between these 
two types. The flesh is also of great 
depth and tempting i.i appearance, and 
this is fully borne out when the fruit is 
tasted. 
The fruit itself is of medium size, 
densely and handsomely netted, so that it 
is excellent either for exhibition or table 
use. It is also an early fruiting variety, 
so that even where space is limited it 
might be accorded a trial for an early 
supply for the table. The plant itself is 
of robust constitution, and the fruits set 
readily. It was raised in the Royal Gar¬ 
dens, Windsor, and made its appearance 
at the Vegetable Committee of the Royal 
Horticultural Society last year, when it 
was accorded an Award of Merit. We are 
indebted to Messrs. James Veitch and 
Sons, King's Road, Chelsea, for the ac¬ 
companying illustration, as this firm is 
now putting the novelty into commerce. 
When one learns from the “Sweet Pea 
Annual” that no fewer thanTji new kinds 
of Sweet Peas were placed before the 
Floral Committee of the N.S.P. Society 
at their show in London on the 16th of 
July last, one is bound to come to the 
conclusion that there must be a great de¬ 
mand for these flowers. The vast majority 
of these were not considered an advance 
on' older sorts, and only seven received 
Awards of Merit, viz., Elsie Herbert, 
Evelyn Hemus, Nancy Perkin, Rosie 
Adams, St. George, Silas Cole, and 
The Marquis. Two of these, Silas Cole 
and Nancy Perkin, will not be in com¬ 
merce this year. Two days later, at 
Reading, after trial, only one of these, 
Saint George, was considered worthy of 
a further award, and got the Silver Medal 
as the best novelty of the year, and a 
First Class Certificate. 
Two other varieties—Princess Victoria 
and Prince Olaf—although passed over in 
London, received Awards of Merit. 
From the seed catalogues coming to 
hand new Sweet Peas, both of the waved 
and grandiflora type, to be sent out this 
year are legion, and as the charm of 
novelty is so strong within most of us, 
notwithstanding the disappointments we 
have experienced in former years, we will 
once more be tempted by the glowing de¬ 
scriptions, and grow as many as we have 
room for. The following list, while not 
exhaustive, will include the best, and as 
the crop of seed this year is very short 
readers should place their orders as early 
as possible. This may be better under¬ 
stood when it is learned that that most 
progressive of firms, Baker’s, Wolver¬ 
hampton, announce that owing to the very 
wet and cold summer they are unable to 
offer any seed, not only of their new 
varieties, but even of their 1907 novelties. 
Messrs. Hurst and Son. 
Probably it would be appropriate that 
place of honour should be given to St. 
George, which is being sent out by 
Messrs. Hurst and Son, and is listed in 
nearly all catalogues. This variety first 
attracted attention at the N.S.P.S. Show 
at Ulverston in 1906, where under the 
name of Queen of Spain, its dazzling 
brightness charmed everyone, and it re¬ 
ceived an Award of Merit. In 1907, under 
its present name, it got an Award of Merit 
at London, and two days later, after trial 
at Reading, the Silver Medal as the best 
novelty of the year, and also a First Class 
Certificate. This is a variety very diffi¬ 
cult to describe. The standards are rich 
MWMNK& 
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Melon Eminence. 7 . Veitch and Sons, Ltd. 
