THE GARDENING WORLD. September 28, 1907. 
630 
growers would be thankful if every bulb 
produced one flower stem. Some 
stronger growing kinds send up two or 
more flower stems from a bulb, and Sir 
Watkin takes pre-eminence in this re¬ 
spect, as we have a good example in the 
accompanying illustration. Five bulbs 
filled an ornamental jar and gave in the 
aggregate fifteen blooms. It was grown 
by Mr. J. H. Pickard, Edgbaston, Bir¬ 
mingham, and gives him credit for this 
method of culture in moss fibre. The 
broad segments are of a rich sulphur- 
yellow, while the chalice itself is deeper 
yellow, more or less tinted with orange. 
The variety is useful for cultivating in 
different ways. It can be grown in moss 
fibre, as the accompanying illustration 
will show. It may also be grown in pots 
by those who have a cold or warm green¬ 
house. It may be used for filling flower 
beds, planting borders, or naturalising 
on the grass. We are indebted to Mr. 
Robert Sydenham, Tenby Street, Bir¬ 
mingham, for putting the illustration at 
our service. 
-- 
Sweet Peas Lord Nelson 
and Brilliant Blue. 
A LETTER TO THE EDITOR. 
With reference to Mr. Henry H. Gib- 
son’s_letter in your issue dated 7th Sep¬ 
tember, I should like to explain that 
when I said that Lord Nelson was sent 
out from America under the name of 
•Brilliant Blue, I meant that the two varie¬ 
ties were-identical, but I did not intend 
to imply that they both originated from 
the same raiser. As a matter of fact, I 
believe that Mr. Burpee, the distributor 
: of Mr. Gibson's variety, so far from sus¬ 
pecting its identity with Lord Nelson, 
thought that it resembled Horace Wright 
—which it does not. 
The reason that I gave preference to 
the name of Lord Nelson was that it was 
as such that the National Sweet Pea So¬ 
ciety, after growing the variety at Read¬ 
ing, gave it an Award of Merit. 
I have not heard how the raisers ob¬ 
tained Lord Nelson or Brilliant Blue, but 
it is interesting to note that several 
growers obtained the same thing as a 
sport from Navy Blue. I believe that it 
has been occasionally found in Navy Blue 
almost as long as that famous variety has 
been in commerce, but to Mr. Gibson and 
Messrs. Isaac House and Son belongs the 
honour of having been the means of first 
putting a true stock on the market. 
Now that the pen is in my hand, I 
should like to correct a slip which occurs 
in the same issue in the editorial note on 
superseded varieties. Somehow or an¬ 
other Queen Alexandra is included in the 
list, which, of course, it should not have 
been, for it is one of the grandest varie¬ 
ties we have, and quite the best of its 
colour. 
G. F. Drayson. 
[It was a mere clerical or printer’s error 
that Queen Alexandra appeared in the 
list of superseded varieties, and which 
was overlooked in the final revision for 
press. We intended the variety Queen 
\ ictoria as the good thing that was super¬ 
seded.—E d] 
By this time the Sweet Peas will be 
much past their best, although many 
growers will still be able to cut some 
welcome flowers. 
Next Year’s Display. 
Already thoughts will be turning to¬ 
wards next year’s display, and in many 
cases active preparations will soon be 
commenced. Mr. Thomas Jones and 
many other famous growers believe in 
preparing their ground in the autumn, 
and in most cases this is probably the 
best time, especially where the ground is 
trenched, for it has time to settle down. 
Those who are not able to work the 
soil in the autumn need not despair of 
obtaining good flowers, for I have seen 
excellent Sweet Peas on ground dug in 
March. There are some soils, too, which 
may give better results when prepared in 
the spring. Every gardener should 
strive to know the idiosyncrasies of his 
own soil. 
Preparing the Soil. 
When it is proposed to commence pre¬ 
paring the soil in the autumn, and, as I 
have said, this is in the majority of in¬ 
stances the best time, it should be dug 
as deeply as possible. In the Sweet Pea 
Annual, Mr. Jones speaks of digging from 
two to five feet deep, but as this entails 
a great deal of labour, it is improbable 
that many readers will be able to reach 
anything like the second figure. How¬ 
ever, to shift one spit and loosen the next 
will be well within the power of most. 
After - the -frrst- spit has been removed 
many growers like to leave the trench 
open to allow the soil to weather. When 
digging in [he autumn it is generally ad¬ 
visable to leave the soil fin as big lumps 
as possible to expose it to the action of 
tfie weather. 
Animal and Artificial Manures. 
Plenty of horse or cow-manure may 
be used, The former, perhaps, being the 
most suitable for heavy soils, and the lat¬ 
ter for lighter soils. These and all other 
manures had generally best be thor¬ 
oughly mixed with the soil. Of 
artificials, superphosphate of lime is a 
great favourite, but this may be saved 
until about February, when it may be 
forked into the ground. Bone meal is 
also extremely valuable for Sweet Peas, 
and this may be used in the autumn or 
later. Many successful growers find, a 
dressing of lime very useful. There are 
several other artificials which are some¬ 
times worked into the soil, but it must -be 
remembered that as a rule nothing can 
displace animal manures, the value of the 
others being of a supplementary nature. 
At all times when using artificial man¬ 
ures, the directions for use given on the 
packets should be strictly adhered to. A 
double dose very often does more harm 
than good. Superphosphate of lime and 
bone meal should be used at about the 
rate of a handful to a square yard. 
Autumn Sowing. 
Any time now, autumn sowings can be 
made. As to the merits of this practice 
considerable differences of opinion are 
shown. Some growers seem to be unable 
to succeed with it, while cithers declare 
that it gives them their bc=t flowers. 
Probably much depends on’ the soil and 
climate, wet and cold soils being the most 
unsuitable. Readers who 1 have never 
given autumn sowing a trial should do 
so this season. Even if itj is seen that 
they are not growing satisfactorily, the 
ground can always be turned over and 
replanted in the spring. Those who feei 
uncertain of success should experimca' 
with the cheaper—though not less valu¬ 
able—varieties, such as Dorothy Eckford 
and King Edward VII. 
Change of Ground. 
One often hears it asked whether it is 
wise to grow Sweet Peas on the same 
ground in two or more consecutive sea¬ 
sons. Probably a change.of ground is 
a slight advantage-, but where the ground 
is well tilled and well manured there 
really seems to be no apparent difference. 
I have known the same ground to yield 
good flowers year after year with nc 
noticeable falling off in quality. On the 
other hand, if the plants have been 
diseased, a change should, if possible, be 
made, otherwise the disease is liable to 
break out again the next year. Another 
preventive is to burn all-diseased plants 
and to make certain that no germs live. 
The sticks that have been used should 
share the same fate. 
Nitro-Culture. 
Earlier in the year much attention was 
drawn to the question of nitro-culture ol 
leguminous plants, and the principle was 
explained in these pages. Many growers 
have tried it th-is year, but I have no' 
heard of any of our champion growers 
gaining any advantage from its use. As 
a matter of fact, a pamphlet advertising 
the culture frankly owned that it woulc 
be little use to inoculate soils that were 
well manured or in which the plants al 
leady produce nodules. 
G. F. Drayson. 
-f+4- 
Logan Berries and Birds. 
It is observed by a contemporary tha 
for some strange reason English birds dc 
not appear to touch the fruit of the Logar 
Berry. Possibly they hesitate to experi 
ment with novelties. 
Dahlia Ivernia. 
The florets of this Cactus Dahlia an; 
long, slender, incurved, and also slightl) 
bent or twisted laterally. They are of 1 
beautiful bronzy-salmon overlying yel 
low. First-class Certificate by the Na 
tional Dahlia Society on September 5th 
when shown by Messrs. James Stredwicl 
and Son, St. Leonards-on-Sea. 
