73 
TUB GARDENING WORLD. 
February 6, 1909. 
= Webbs’ Sweet Peas - 
During the season Messrs. Webb and 
; ns, Wordsley, Stourbridge, exhibited 
(ormous quantities of Sweet Peas at the 
lading shows in different parts of the 
,untry. At the National Sweet Pea So¬ 
fty's Show at the Royal Horticultural 
ill on the 24th of July last Messrs. Webb 
|t up a large and attractive group of 
,-eet Peas near the entrance to the hall, 
consisted of a sloping bank against 
e side of the building, and had three 
rge mirrors placed at intervals behind 
e Sweet Peas. Owing to the quantity 
blossom of the latter set up in vases the 
irrors were more or less hidden, though 
e public could get admirable views of 
e bright and cheerful colours of the 
any varieties exhibited reflected in the 
irrors. 
The accompanying illustration of this 
oup, placed at our service by Messrs, 
ebb, just shows a small portion of two 
irrors at the right-hand and left-hand 
AT WESTMINSTER. 
sides of the picture. The flowers were set 
up in the popular way in small vases, the 
long stems enabling every flower to be 
seen to the best advantage, the old 
method of lumping the flowers in dense 
bunches being, entirely antiquated and 
discarded. In the strong competition on 
that day this beautiful group was accorded 
a Silver Gilt Medal. 
Elsewhere Messrs. Webb won Gold 
Medals and Silver Cups for their exhibits 
of Sweet Peas, etc., last year at Shrews¬ 
bury, Wolverhampton, York, Cardiff, Han¬ 
ley, etc. It is needless to mention varie¬ 
ties, as Messrs. Webb grow Sweet Peas 
very extensively on their large seed farms 
at Kinver. These farms are on elevated 
lands undulated and fully exposed. The 
soil is excellent, even if the season is 
rather late and advantage is taken of 
autumn, as well as spring, sowings of all 
the leading varieties, as well as novelties 
on trial. 
biloba. 
This beautiful plant is generally con¬ 
sidered difficult to cultivate, which, to a 
certain extent, is the case, because under 
injudicious treatment they are apt to look 
unhealthy, and liable to suffer from 
damp. This, however, may be easily 
overcome. Grow the plants in a well- 
ventilated house, and place them within 
three feet of the glass, and they will never 
be troubled with mouldy-looking tops. 
The soil best adapted for them is good 
fibrous peat, with a liberal addition of 
sharp sand. Though a free-rooter, it 
cannot bear its roots being disturbed, and 
when re-potting is necessary the old 
drainage material at the bottom of 
the ball must not be removed, simply 
shifting the plants as they. are. No other 
plant is capable of producing so charm¬ 
ing an effect in a collection of plants as 
this brilliant species, whose rich, bright, 
blue flowers have a most gorgeous effect. 
J. M. T. 
Earnock Gardens, 
Hamilton. 
