6(1 
AS OTHERS SEE US. 
Reprinted from the Gardeners’ Chronicle, August 4th, 1900. 
Photographed/rom Nature \ A VIEW IN CARTERS' EXPERIMENTAL 
MESSRS. CARTER & CO.’S TRIAL GROUNDS AT MORTLAKE. 
On the side of the main roadway from Richmond to Mortlake, and about 
midway between the two railway stations, the trial-grounds of Messrs. Carter & Co., 
of Holborn, are situated. They stretch from the road to the South Western 
Railway, and occupy a rather low position. The soil is fairly light and sandy, and 
rests upon a gravel subsoil ; it is well suited for the purpose to which it is devoted, 
though liable to suffer somewhat during a time of severe drought. Formerly market- 
garden ground, it may be said to be of a good heart ; and given sufficient moisture, 
vegetables and flowers alike can he brought to a high state of perfection. Water is 
laid on, but on the occasion of our visit, the long spell of drought was being severely 
felt, despite the constant use of the watering-pot. 
Messrs. Carter & Co. do well to invite gardeners to inspect their trials at 
Mortlake. It is an excellent opportunity for them to gather up a great deal of 
valuable information, so great is the variety found there. An observant gardener, 
with the aid of a note-book, can make himself acquainted with many things he would 
not usually find in gardens ; and his opportunities for instituting comparisons are 
great. Let us hope they are turned to some useful purpose 
We have said the variety found here is great ; there being on view ninety-nine 
different sample grass plots for various purposes. Each grown from a different 
selection of grass-seeds; grasses for lawns, cricket-grounds, tennis-grounds, &c. ; 
selections for croquet-grounds and lawns appeared to be perfect, an even carpet of 
the finest grasses without a single intruder of a coarse character. There were 
patches of Clovers, also affording an excellent opportunity for anyone to become 
acquainted with their differing characters and uses. There are also to be seen 
considerable trials of Mangolds, Carrots, &c., all full of promise, but not sufficiently 
advanced to determine their characters. 
A remarkable trial of Peas, comprising about a thousand different samples, was 
full of interest, and though the main of the early varieties were over, enough could 
be seen to show the great care exercised in selecting slock seeds. This is one of the 
many advantages incidental to a trial-ground of this kind ; a sample of each bulk of 
Peas which comes into the house during the season is taken, carefully labelled and 
sown ; the purity, or otherwise, of any particular bulk is ascertained, and everyone 
showing the best quality is carefully divested of anything that is not equal to the 
highest merit, and in this way select stocks are secured. Every wholesale seed-house 
is deeply interested in the purity and high quality of its seed stocks, and a healthy 
competition inspires every house with a desire to procure the best possible, for on 
this its status in the trade depends. 
Some of these Pea samples were noticeable as showing the value of selections. 
New Peas are frequently but selections of some popular type improved under culture. 
A very fine selection from the well-known Daisy , with longer and finer pods, was 
noticeable ; the gain is an increased yield. A French Pea, bearing the name of 
Carters' Delicatesse , is a white wrinkled Second Early , growing to the height of 
about 3 feet ; very prolific, and bearing straight-pointed pods. 
One can at once see how popular is the Duke of Albany, for here were thirty 
samples of this variety, all of good quality, illustrating the care taken in selecting 
stock seeds. A re-selected type of Duke of Albany seemed to be perfect in every 
respect. The Carte,, a vigorous-growing Pea of the Ne Plus Ultra type, was 
represented by two forms, one with a long curved pod, the other with a straight 
blunt pod ; both green wrinkled, and particularly high flavoured. These are to be 
sent out in the immediate future. A selected Early Telephone represented a most 
desirable garden Pea ; its popularity was also attested by the fact that there were 
thirty samples of it. Telegraph , the round-seeded form of Telephone , is giving place 
to the latter ; and it is not too much to say that the round-seeded Peas, whether blue 
or white, are gradually giving place to the better flavoured wrinkled varieties for 
general table purposes, and especially so as we now have wrinkled varieties as 
early, if not earlier, than auy round-seeded sorts. 
Carters’ Majestic, green wrinkled, is a very fine midsummer Pea, about 3 feet in 
height, a free bearer, and producing large and full curved pods. Daisv is a Pea in 
great demand, one of those varieties which may be said to mark an epoch in Peas, 
GROUNDS, No. 3 , MORTLAKE, SURREY. ( and Copyrighted by J. C. Co. 
setting up a type which becomes the centre of a group. Stratagem , an older variety, 
has a darker pod than Daisy , and, like it, is in much demand. Sharpe's Queen is of 
the same type, but taller ; an early type of this could be seen of dwarfer growth. 
Danby Stratagem is a glorified form of this popular variety, very prolific, and an 
excellent garden variety. Carters' Anticipation is a main crop wrinkled Marrow, 
growing about 2 ^ feet, and coming into bearing early in July. It is said to be the 
result of a distinct cross, Ne Plus Ultra having been the pollen parent, and from 
which it has no doubt derived its fine quality as a table sort. 
Carters' Michaelmas is held to be later still, and this has much the same 
character, of pod, but more pointed. A robust grower, and not subject to mildew, 
it is a valuable late variety; so late, indeed, that in some seasons considerable 
difficulty is experienced in getting the seeds fully ripened, and this fact operates 
to make it at times a scarce variety. A Pea bearing the name of Carters’ Interest , 
rather taller in growth than the foregoing, appeared to be the latest of all, and so 
well adapted to bring up the rear of the succession. Close by was a plantation of 
Peas for stock ; among them a selection known as Carters’ Early Daisy , which 
comes into bearing as the same time as American Wonder , and has long full pods. 
Another very useful early dwarf type is Carters’ Forcing , for pot culture under glass 
A selection from Early Morn shapes well. A new unnamed variety for 1901 is 
said to be ten days earlier than Daisy , and very dwarf. The foregoing may be said 
to be some of the gems of the large collection ; some of the last named having been 
later sown enabled a fair estimate to be made of their value. 
A trial of garden Turnips was full of interest ; one of the earliest Carters' 
Forcing , a long white variety, very quick to turn in. The white and purple Milans 
were here, also the Munich in excellent character, the red-top Mousetait , and others. 
Carters’ Cardinal is coloured all over, resembling a turnip-rooted Beet, the flesh 
white. 
There were trials of Radishes also, though mainly past their best ; one plot of 
Radish-seed could be seen carefully netted as far as possible from harm ; it represents 
a stock of spotted Turnip, the surface spotted red and white, a novelty for 1901 . 
There is a huge trial of Tomatoes, consisting of some 200 varieties. The recent 
rains must have proved very helpful to them. 
Flower Seeds. 
In the way of flower seeds, the large trial of Sweet Peas was over, the intense 
heat and the dry soil had materially shortened their season of flowering. Beds of 
Salpiglossis grandiflora are very fine, the size of the blooms and the range of colours 
being remarkable. Annual Chrysanthemums are very gay, forms of C. carinatum, 
double and single, the same of C. coronarium , also C. segetum, and the several 
named varieties of each. Centaurea Margarita (giant white Sweet Sultan ) has 
exquisitely fringed and divided petals, and excellent for cutting, a distinct improve¬ 
ment upon the old type. Those fine forms of Dianthus Hedewegi, Crimson Belle , 
and Eastern Queen, well deserve a place in the garden, the former especially, for its 
rich colour. 
Those who desire to make a study of the climbing and of the dwarf Tropaeo- 
lums, with the object of discovering the best of each, have an excellent opportunity 
of doing so at Mortlake, all the novelties being grown there. Candytufts are very 
gay, the noble white Empress very fine, and the dwarf white Little Princess 
distinctly good. A variety named Rose Cardinal is a great improvement upon the 
flesh-coloured form. In the way of Poppies, the double annual Paeony-flowered are 
fine and varied, and some of the single forms are very attractive, especially the white. 
There were bold patches of Improved Shirley Poppies , and also of the perennial 
Iceland type. As a crimson-flowered annual, it is difficult to beat Malope grandiflora 
The Lavatcrce are very fine also, the dwarf blue Convolvulus minor is a striking 
mass of colour, and the forms of annual Coreopsis very attractive. Among the many 
Clarkias, C. intcgripetala and its allies are the best. 
Large trials of Stocks and Asters are coming on into bloom, and will well repay a 
visit. The Marigolds will be in flower at the same time, and a big trial of Gladiolus. 
There is also a very interesting trial of dwarfs and Runner Beans, which should be 
i seen when in pod. 
CARTERS’, 237, 238. & 97, HIGH HOLBORN, LONDON.—1901. 
