THE GARDENING WORLD 
August 8, 1908. 
Primula pulverulenta. 
Maclaren and Sons. 
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stance Oliver and Paradise Ivory. The 
finest dark one was George Stark. Of 
last year’s new ones, St. George has 
turned out grandly at the show this year. 
Amongst this year’s new ones of which 
we may expect to hear more of in the 
future are Earl Spencer and Lord AI- 
thorpe. The first named is like a waved 
Henry Eckford, of larger size, and that 
is saying a great deal. We hope it will 
stand the sun without burning. The two 
last named were raised by Mr. Silas Cole 
at Althorpe, who was the raiser of Coun¬ 
tess Spencer, the origin of the wavy 
varieties. 
Sdifopiol. 
Sued ?eas. 
Nowhere can the Sweet Pea be seen to 
such perfection as at the Metropolitan 
show of the National Sweet Pea Society, 
because that is representative of the skill 
of the country in growing Sweet Peas. 
The improvement in varieties has been 
immense since the society was founded, 
but it has also been the means of induc¬ 
ing amateurs in many parts of the coun¬ 
try to put forth a supreme effort to get 
their flowers to the largest size and in 
the best colours of which each individual 
variety is capable. 
We cannot expect the average grower 
to take so much trouble merely for the 
sake of cut flowers for home decoration, 
but all the same the improvement that 
has been accomplished since Mr. Henry 
Eckford commenced to single out the best 
sorts and grow them separately is hardly 
conceivable when we look back to the 
time when most people were satisfied with 
a hedge of mixed Sweet Peas. At the 
time we speak, the purple and blue- 
purple varieties, generally in two distinct 
colours, were very prevalent, and that 
was no doubt accounted for by the fact 
that they were stronger-growing varieties 
than the finer colours, and if grown to¬ 
gether for a few years, all the best sorts 
would be killed or crowded out by their 
stronger-growing and less handsome com¬ 
peers. 
To get the best amongst Sweet Peas it 
is necessary to grow each variety by it¬ 
self so as to give it all the advantages of 
light, air and space. Now, however, the 
cottager even has at his command a host 
of beautiful varieties with which he or she 
can make the garden a centre of attrac¬ 
tion with very little extra care or trouble. 
Indeed, it is only necessary to sow Sweet 
P°as rather thinly in good, well-manured 
(For description see page SH-) 
soil to get a splendid crop of blossom, 
worthy to decorate the table of a mansion 
even though grown in the garden of a 
cottage. 
The new varieties have been tried by the 
society at the College, Reading, and only 
those of large size, distinct colour and 
constancy of character could hope to get 
a first-class certificate or an award of 
merit. The winning varieties were staged 
at the show, and included Mrs. Henry 
Bell, George Stark and Mr. Andrew Ire¬ 
land, all of which received first-class Cer¬ 
tificates. Two varieties were honoured 
with an Award of Merit, namely, Con- 
