76 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Inly  96.  19011. 
we  usually  regard  as  seifs  have  almost  invariably  ditfeieat  colours 
in  the  standard  and  two  wings;  but  this  is  a  matter  of  detail  which 
can  be  overcome  with  some  expenditure  of  careful  thought.  Mr. 
Robert  Sydenham,  Birmingham,  and  the  Rev.  \V.  T.  Hutchins 
supported  the  suggestions  made  by  Mr.  Wright,  and  would  welcome 
the  adoption  of  some  definite  schemes  on  the  same  lines  as,  if  not 
identical  with,  those  laid  down. 
Some  Points  on  ttje  Culture  ai|(l  Decorative  Uses  of  the 
Sweet  Pea. 
Considering  that  the  time  allotted  to  each  essayist  was  twenty 
minutes,  it  will  he  generally  admitted  that  Mr.  H.  Dunkin  of  Leicester 
had  more  than  sufficient  work  to  do.  It  would  perhaps  have  been  as 
well  had  the  first  portion  of  the  title  been  omitted,  so  that 
Mr.  Dunkin  could  concentrate  the  whole  of  his  energies  upon  the 
second  and  more  impoitant  half.  Fortunately  the  essayist  grasped 
the  significance  of  this  beforehand,  and  to  a  large  degree  epitomised 
the  cultural  department,  with  which  it  might  reasonably  be  assumed 
all  those  present  at  the  meeting  were  more  or  less  familiar. 
We  Lope  and  believe  that  when  this  paper  is  given  to  the  world  in 
its  entirety,  either  through  the  medium  of  the  horticultural  press,  or  a 
pamphlet  issued  by  the  celebration  committee,  it  will  do  much  to 
encourage  the  utilisation  of  this  graceful,  fragrant,  and  refined  flower, 
for  all  decorative  purposes.  According  to  Mr.  Dunkin,  who  it  may  be 
noted,  is  a  particularly  skilful  dfccrator,  there  is  practically  no  purpose 
to  which  they  cannot  be  put,  and  that  with  signal  success.  Schanes 
of  one  colour  only  were  apparently  in  greatest  favour,  and  it  was 
mentioned  how  essential  it  was  that  cokurs  not  looking  insipid  under 
artiheial  light  be  chosen.  Suggestions  were  made  as  to  how  the 
greatest  possible  amount  of  value  could  be  derived  from  the  flowers  at 
command,  and  Mr.  Dunkin  was  strong  in  bis  recommendations,  and 
convincing  in  the  manner  of  expressing  his  opinions,  that  the  Sweet 
Pea  would  yet  come  more  and  more  to  the  fore. 
If  the  essayist  was  sound  in  his  remarks  anent  the  decorative 
value  and  uses  of  Sweet  Peas,  he  was  no  less  so  in  respect  of  cultural 
matters.  He  laid  down  laws  on  this  head,  and  rules  on  that,  all  of 
which  were  so  sensible  and  so  easy  of  accomplishment,  that  they  are 
worthy  of  everyone’s  adoption.  There  cannot  be  the  slightest  doubt 
that  if  the  suggestions  were  conscientiously  followed  the  grower 
would  be  amply  rewarded  by  a  richer  crop  of  flowers,  of  greater  size 
and  substance,  and  of  more  delicious  fragrance  than  had  fallen  to  his 
lot  in  the  past.  The  discussion  on  Mr.  Dunkin’s  admirable  paper 
dealt  only  with  one  or  two  jDoints  in  cultivation. 
Tlje  Evolution  of  tl|e  Sweet  Pea. 
The  paper  on  the  ^“Evolution  and  Improvement  of  the  Sweet 
Pea,”  produced  by  the  collaboration  of  Mr.  John  S.  Eckford  and  Mr. 
C.  H.Cnrtis,  w’as  read  by  the  latter.  It  was  a  somewhat  lengthy  paper, 
and  necessarily  covered  a  portion  of  the  ground  already  dealt  with  by 
Mr.  Dicks.  Commencing'with  Cupaui’s  Sicilian  Sweet  Pea,  the  work 
of  numbers  of  prominent  growers  was  reviewed,  and  then  followed  an 
account  of  the  famous  work  executed  by  Mr.  Henry  Eckford,  who 
commenced  with  five  varieties  in  the  late  seventies,  and  obtained  his 
seed  from  Lee,  of  Hammersmith.  The  Eckford  productions,  from 
Bronze  Prince,  certificated  in  1882,  down  to  the  1900  novelties,  were 
reviewed,  and  it  was  shown  how  the  standard  of  the  Sweet  Pea  had 
been  flattened  out  and  stiffened,  its  reflexed  margins  were  straightened, 
and  its  deep  apical  notch  finally  filled  up,  until  now,  in  such  varieties 
as  Prince  Edward  of  Yoik  and  Mrs.  Dugdale,  this  organ  is  almost 
circular,  and  under  good  cultivation  about  an  inch  and  three-fifths 
across,  sometimes  a  little  more.  The  wings,  too,  were  developed 
forward,  broadened,  and  made  more  substantial,  while  the  keel  also 
came  in  for  improvement. 
The  authors  stated  that  selection  was  one  of  the  chief  methods 
of  securing  improvement  and  preventing  reversion.  Seed  sports  or 
seminal  variation  also  gave  seme  valuable  varieties,  but  it  was  by  a 
careful  method  of  cross- fertilisai  ion  that  new  colours  and  subtle 
combinations  of  colours  had  been  secured.  In  habit  it  was  easy  to 
demor strafe  that  improvement  had  been  made,  as  also  was  it  to  show 
that  numbers  as  well  as  size  of  flowers  had  been  increased,  until  now 
instead  of  two  blooms  on  a  slein  there  were'Jthree,  and  in'Jsomei  few 
varieties  a  very  large  percentage  of  four  on  a  spike,  while  seven  was 
recorded  by  Mr.  Curtis  as  produced  on  a  plant  of  Mrs.  Fitzgerald  in 
his  own  garden.  Other  improvements,  such  as  elongation  of  spike,, 
were  referred  to,  and  the  author  passed  on  to  hope  that  the^Sweet  Pea 
should  not  be  confined  or  hampered  by  any  strict  rules  of  form  ;  that  it 
should  be  the  flower  of  the  masses  rather  than  that  of  the  faddist  ; 
that  hooded  as  well  as  erect  standards  be  allowed  to  stand  so  as  to 
suit  all  preferences ;  that  dwarf  Sweet  Peas  might  be  improved  'for 
bedding  purposes;  and  that  if  the  double  Sweet  Pea  ever  became 
beautiful  it  should  not  be  banished.  Many  other  points  were  dealt 
with,  but  these  were  the  chief  ones  in  a  paper]  brimming  over  with 
facts  and  interest.  A  few  questions  were  raised  and  briefly  answered,, 
but  no  long  discussion  followed  the  paper.  The  customary  votes  of 
thanks  concluded  the  proceedings. 
He  Sweet  Pea  in  America. 
As  the  greatest  Americrn  amateur  in  Sweet  Pea  culture,  it  was 
fitting  that  the  Rev.  W.  T.  Hutchins  should  come  to  England  to 
join  in  the  praise  of  the  flower  he  loves  and  grows  so  well.  For 
something  over  a  dozen  years  this  minister  has  been  finding  heal’h 
and  pleasure  in  the  summer  by  cultivating  the  beautiful  Sweet  Pea, 
audit  speaks  volumes  for  his  devoted  enthusiasm  that  he 'should 
travel  thousands  of  miles  by  land  and  by  water  to  be  present  at  the 
bicentenary  in  England.  He  was  not  a  total  stranger  to  our  land; 
he  was,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  among  us  only  five  short  years  ago. 
That  lapse  of  time  has,  however,  brought  its  changes,  and  amongst 
these  have  been  the  progress  in  Sweet  Peas  which  astonished  our 
American  guest,  and  proved  to  him  that  though  old^England  may 
move  somewhat  slowly,  she  is  very  sure,  and  generally  scores  a 
splendid  goal. 
Mr.  Hutchins  had  had  to  complain  on  a  previous  visit^of  '’the’lack 
of  excitement  and  the  tardy  recognition  that  had  been  accorded  to  the 
great  Henry  Eckford.  Now  he  could  see  a  change,  for  there  were 
Sweet  Peas  on  all  hands,  everyone  talked  of  them;  and  the. testimony 
to  Eckford  of  Wem  for  his  splendid  work  was  universal.  The  Sweet 
Pea,  said  Mr.  Hutchins,  “caught  on”  with  remarkable  quickness  on 
the  “  other  side,”  and  in  a  very  brief  spiace  had  become  the  craze. 
Perhaps  Mr.  Hutchins  fears  that  its  Mushroom-like  celerity  of  growth 
in  the  States  will  not  stand  the  wear  and  tear  of  time  so  well  as  will 
the  slower  development  but  more  abiding  love  of  the  English. 
Mr.  Hutchins’  remarks  on  the  Sweet  Pea  in  America  were  both 
interesting  and  instructive,  and  they  showed  throughout  with  what 
reg?*rd  Mr.  Eckford  was  held  on  the  great  American  continent.  He 
made  reference  to  varieties  raised  there  as  well  as  in  England,  and 
constantly  looked  forward  to  still  greater  improvements  being  made  in- 
the  future.  He  hoped  that  the  culture  of  this  favourite  flower  would 
spread  in  both  countries,  and  concluded  by  saying  that  while  he  felt 
that  he  had  come  to  England  to  see  the  Sweet  Pea  at  its  best  he  was 
sure  that  they  also  must  visit  America  to  see  it  at  its  best.  Si  evenly 
was  the  balance  swung  that  this  was  the  conviction  at  which  he  waa 
forced  to  arrive.  Mr.  H  it  hins’  paper  occupied  an  hour  in  the  reading 
and  was  embellished  by  many  interpellations;  it  was  of  peculiar 
interest,  but  did  not  evoke  material  discussion. 
- - 
Report  of  the  Biceiiteiiary  Show. 
The  subjoined  report  of  the  competitive  classes  at  this  great  Sweet 
Pea  festival  will  convey  to  our  readers  some  slight  idea  of  the 
magnitude  of  the  gathering.  It  is  more  than  probable  that  if  there  be 
instituted  a  Sweet  Pea  society,  as  seems  very  likely,  the  exhibitions 
would  develop  more  quickly  than  those  devoted  to  any  other  special 
show  has  done,  and  that  the  Rose,  which  has  hitherto  been  regarded  as 
the  principal  summer  exhibitions  at  the  Crystal  Palace,  would  find  a 
serious  rival  in  the  homely  and  fragrant  Sweet  Pea. 
Amateurs'  Special  Glasses. 
In  the  class  for  100  bunches  of  Sweet  Peas  in  the  following  ten 
shades  of  colour — dark  blue,  sky  blue,  rich  purple,  blue  and  purple 
striped,  brilliant  scarlet,  carmine  and  white,  pink  and  rose,  scarlet 
striped,  primrose  yellow,  and  white — set  up  tastefully  with  any 
appropriate  light  foliage,  the  bunches  to  be  shown  iu  vaseS)  there  wero^ 
