THE SWEET PEA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21627, 23 April 1932, Page 17

THE SWEET PEA

NEW VARIETIES OF 1932 ✓ Evcrv year the amateur grower of sweet peas lias the difficult task of selecting novelties to grow for the coming season, 'this year the position is more complicated- than ever, there being some 40 to 50 new varieties. Many of these have alreiWly been shown at various exhibitions throughout.'the country, but the majority have not been seen to any great extent and a few not at all. The only guide to such is a catalogue description, which naturally describes in glowing terms the good points of each. The following notes are written by one who has unusual opportunities of seeing and assessing the merits of new sweet peas, in the hope that they may be of service to those less fortunately situated. Ambition, the gold modal variety of the National Sweet Pea Society in 1930, has already received favourable notice, owing to the many reports on this variety in the press. It is a deep shade of lavender; perhaps the colour could be visualised under the description of slate-lavender. It is a very fine variety, and closely resembles another fine novelty. Sweet Lavender. Although fully appreciating the good points and distinctiveness of those two newcomers, 1 cannot see either of them displacing Power,scourt, which has had such a long run. Every year quite a number of flushed novelties are offered, and this season is no exception. Several will no doubt find favour with many. For distinctiveness Amy Johnson undoubtedly leads. The catalogug description is cherry-salmon flush on cream ground, but I think it would be more fitting if,salmon was left out of the description, as there seems to bo very little of that colour about )t. Another flushed variety, this time on a white ground, is named Pink Gem. This is not unlike that well-known variety,Mrs H. J. Wright, but is richer and much brighter. Rosie (Unwin), another of this section, resembles Rose Marie, though here again the colouring is much brighter. Patriot, a cream ground flush, can be briefly described as a very pale Jack Hobbs Not only ki colouring but in habit and form this novelty reminds one of the older variety.

For a number of years that very largely grown variety. Magnet, lias had no serious challengers, but this season there are three novelties that are going to endeavour to displace it. Bon Bon, an American seedling, which I have not seen, Crinoline, and Marion are all claimed to “fill the bill,” and it will bo very interesting to see which, if any, comes up to expectations. When gardeners become attached to a variety, as nearly all have to Magnet, it takes a very distinct advance to persuade them to make u change. While dealing with this shade of colour, one must refer to Pink Cockade. This almost makes a new section, coining between Magnet and George Shawycr. It is nearly an orange-pink, and stands the sun. A white-ground Magnet is the best description one can find for Mayfair, another novelty in this class.

Carmine is not a popular colour, but Carmine Queen is rather attractive. Jt is a good grower, and has all those points which go to the making of a first-class sweet pea. NEW CHEATS. It is very pleasing to see .something new in the cream section, as it is in this colour that an advance is wanted more than any other. 'This year we have Christine, Cream Butterfly, Queen of Creams, and Colwood. I rather fancy Christine will prove to he the winner. If catalogue descriptions were to be relied on. Crested Crown and Meteor shonid be very nearly the same. Both are described as being deeper than Mrs A. Searles. Bnt Meteor is actually much deeper than that popular variety, being almost a deep cerise, it is a good variety, and well worthy of a trial. Debutante, an American variety, has received a great deal of commendation. If those who tried or saw Pink Glow, which was olicred last year, will imagine a glorious form of this variety, they will have a very good idea of its colouring ami merit. Derby Day. a maroon crimson, h an improvement on Sonny Boy. It ha,,; very large flowers, well up to exhibition class.

Dolores, a rose-pink on cream ground, has a suggestion of being marbled, and must, therefore, be classed as a fancy. Beauty, a clear china pink, offered for the first time last year, already Inis a rival in Dresden. The latter is a shade paler, but the difference is so slight that both varieties cannot be grown. A very fine pea is Elstree. It is a pale cream-pink, which has been referred to as a cream-ground June, and that, I tliiuk, gives a very good idea of its charm. Excelsior and Thriller must bo coupled together. They are botli of the same colouring, and can bo described as improvements on Mammoth. The last-named has been so widely grown that it is difficult to imagine a better variety, but I am sure Excelsior and Thriller will prove superior. Floradaleis another of the newcomers from America; a warm salmon-pink, on cream ground, which loses some of its colour in strong sunlight. It is a sweet pea of massive build, and is reputed to be extremely free flowering. There are already so many lavender varieties that one is at a loss to find a fitting description for Fragrance. . The risers describe it as soft lavender or cream ground, with a wire edge of blue. Goldfinch will, I am sure, prove to bo one of the best of the 1932 novelties. It is most distinct, and almost defies description. The colour is a rich golden-pink, which will iippeal to everyone. Golden Wings, claimed to bo almost sunproof, comes botfvecn Wizard and Gold Crest. It is most attractive when bunched, and has every appearance of becoming popular. Joan, a strong grower, giving plenty of fours, is a pleasing shade of flesh-pink, on cream ground. I believe a really good white has been produced in Karnes' This gives a very largo flower, is a-vigorous grower, and is said to produce fives in abundance. Nbuvclle is a most unusual colour, the catalogue description being standard cream ground, watered deep mauve in front, but deep mauvish-blue at back, the

wings being watered and naked navy bine. While rather attractive for a garden variety, it appears to lack size. Pirate Gobi, another American variety, is said to be a hew shade of goldenorange, which stands the sun well. Pompadour, a distinct shade of pale rose-pink, suffused with lijac. is a large and bold flower.

Koselight has a beautiful tone of salmon on cream ground, the standard being a little deeper, than the wings. This novelty closely resembles Laddie, one of last year’s newcomers. Rosie is' an American variety. ' It is unfortunate .that there .should be two varieties offered this year under the same name. This one belongs to Pinkie class, but is richer and deeper. Scarlet Flame presents a new shade of scarlet-orange. It is a self, with a beautiful sheen and revels in the strongest sunshine.-

Shot Silk must be classed as a fancy. The name is very fittipg, as the pink and blue shading certainly gives a shot effect. To be seen at its best, it requires shading, as it is inclined to fade during hot weather. Tranquility is a most uncommon colour —the pastel on cream ground. It presents a pleasing effect, and as a garden variety should be popular. Welcome, a novelty of American introduction, was seen to great advantage at the N.S.P.S. trials this year. It is a most brilliant scarlet, and quite sunproof. It might well be described as richer and more brilliant than All Bright. This variety will undoubtedly find a place on <a great number of exhibition tables, although, to my mind, it lacks a little in form.

Pcche Melba is an exceptionally large and well-formed variety of deep creampink colouring. As an exhibitor’s pea it will prove excellent, but has a little blue colouring through the flower that, does not make it ideal for decoration. Orange Flare is a rich and deep form of Fordhook Orange, and is very attractive, but, like all other varieties of this colour, it requires shading. Exhibitors will be amply rewarded for the extra, labofir of shading. This host of sweet pea novelties may. well bring such questions from the general public as whether we can improve on the varieties we already have, if we have not already all the colours that it is possible to get. and whether many of the novelties offered are not in duplicate, or are duplicates bf existing varieties? To take these queries in their order. It we consider present-day varieties closely, the answer must invariably be that there is still room for improvement. The cream section is still very weak, and improvement is wanted badly. Beautiful varieties are already in existence, but how much better they would be if they would only retain a good length of stem throughout, the season. How great an advantage would it be if Pinkie and Magnet would settle down and produce four bloom sprays from the first week of flowering, and how much more would Magnet be admired if the top flowers would only bold their heads up. If we could get a really firstrate cream-pink, how satisfying it would be to the exhibitor. This class is the largest in commerce, yet it lacks a really outstanding variety. In the red maroon class, there is room for a large, bold, and strong-growing Splendour. These few illustration!? will prove that we still have a very long way to go. Examine carefully the Classification List of the National Sweet Pea Society, and nearly every variety can bo criticised, without thinking of colour. The second question may also be answered by reference to the Classification List. Where is the sunproof orange, salmon. or old-rose? Before the reader replies that tlic.se are impossibilities, let him remember that at one time we had no crimson variety that was sunproof. Glance for a moment at the blue varieties. Can one of those be accurately described as true blue? I think not; each has a suggestion of some other colouring. How about the golden-yellow? Will that ever be produced? Probably not for many years, and not at all with the material we have at present. Without going so far as to say that we shall never got a yellow sweet pea, T will be so bold as to affirm that a real golden-yellow, or a blue of the same shade a.s Salvia patens, will never be produced. AN INTERESTING PROBLEM. Are our raisers making a special effort tu produce blues and yellows, or is it a coincidence that last year we had tour blue novelties, and this year four cream ones? The answer to this query will in-

corporate ithe reply to the third-main question. If, these novelties are the result of crosses, it points to definite endeavour, but if they appeared in the first place as rogues or breaks, 1 as seems most probable, it is coincidence. The majority of neiv peas are produced in the latter way. if this were not the case, how could it be explained that each year a certain colour predominates? In 1930 it was the flushed type; in 1931, the blue; in 1932, creams and salmon-pinks. As most know, all varieties produce a rogue or rogues,-some every year, others occasionally. For an as yet unexplained reason, an unusual break appears, sometimes with one grower only, but generally, with several in the same year. They may not be exactly alike, but are similar in many respects. Such are detected by the raisers, who, if they decide that it is worthy of being offered as a novelty, save the seed, and, unknown to each other, begin, the race. The result is that these novelties are offered to the public within a year or so of each other, or sometimes ail. at the same time. This, I think, explains why there are so many varieties of the same colouring. . The question might be asked, Why does a raiser send out a variety if he knows one of the, same colour was sent out the year before? Supposing two raisers discovered the same rogue, and decided to develop it. It would take several years to obtain enough seed to offer this as a novelty. Number one raiser has the good fortune to send his out a year ahead ox number two. Is it likely that number two will be convinced that Ins will v not prove the better variety? He has worked with it for several years, and is sure it is a winner. Naturally, he offers it as a novelty, fully convinced of its merits. Some time must elapse before it is decided whether it is the same as that ot number one, an improvement, or interior. It has been said that all novelties should be sent to one centre and judged, the inferior ones being discarded. w , could compel the raiser to do this, and who would be prepared to act. as a judge, and throw on one side certain varieties after one year’s growing? In conclusion, I would say, let u s have all the novelties possible; However slight the variation, they are all leading in the right direction. —G. I. in Amateur Gardening.