Sweet Peas.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XL, Issue 18, 29 April 1908, Page 38

Sweet Peas.

I he past season has been, in some respects, not altogether satisfactory for a tine display of this flower. Those who sowed their >eeds in the autumn certainly had the best stand of blooms. The tally spring sown also did very well, but those who sowed the seed during October were disappointed, owing to the long continued dry weather we experienced, the plants did very little good. We advocate making several sowings. the month of April is about the best month to sow outside, but they can be sown in fiames. or b<»xes. or pots during May and lune, and if well grown and carefully transplanted, the.-e will bloom about tin* same time as those sown outside during April, which will l»e according to weather during November and December. Sweet peas transplant readily, and w«‘ have always tound inside growing less trouble, and obtained quite as good, and often better n’sults, than by sowing out ot doors. For spring sowing. August ami September are the most suitable. One point amateurs very often neglect when growing sweet pea-, is giving sufficient room to the plants. A packet of seed is often purchased from the seedsman, which may contain anything from ten to fifty seeds, according to variety, and the whole packet is sown in a space 12

or 18 inches square with a blessing (?) on the seedsman for being so " mingy ” with his seeds. This clump or square is never thinned), as the amateur gardener is afraid of disturbing the roots, and the result is, his peas run up long lanky shoots, with flowers, certainly, but so small and so few on a stem! Sweet peas must have room —8 or 9 inches between each pea is not too milch, and this distance can be given when transplanting; but if the seed is sown it is advisable to plant the seeds two inches apart, and thin out to the required distance when the plants are well up. Sweet peas as a rule do well in most gardens, but in order to obtain the best results the soil should be trenched, and by the term “trenching” we dlo not mean to bury the top soil, which must bo kept on top. A good plan in preparing the soil is to carefully remove the first two feet or so to the depth of 9 inches. This should be wheeled to the spot where your trenching is to finish. The next “ spit ” should be wheeled to some convenient place; then with a fork break up the subsoil. Place on it a layer of six inches of cow manure, fresh loam and teat mould well mixed. (Jive a sprinkling of bone-dust and soot. Tramp this in firmly, and then proceed with ttie next two feet of soil, placing it <>n top of manure. Never bring the subsoil on top but break it up well with a digging fork; this prevents stagnant water and assists

the plant in many ways. A sprinkling of kainit of potash should be lightly forked in. two months after the peas are sown. The only after care is to keep the plants free from weeds. Keep a watchful eye on slugs, and sparrows, and supply supports for the vines when required. Before sowing in the open ground we strongly advise moistening the seed in water, and dusting a little dry' red lead over it. The lead adheres to the seed, and mice or birdls will not touch it.

The popularity of the sweet nea is still increasing, and notwithstanding the

very bad harvest weather experienced in England, the list of novelties is the largest on record, no less than 80 to 100 new varieties being placed on the market. The advent of Countess Spencer, or so-called orchid-flowered type has almost entirely revolutionised the former ideas about sweet peas. The variety to which we have alluded was quite unfixed in character and it is simply marvellous what has been accomplished' through this one variety. Many of the sports have been fixed and are now well on the way for becoming standard sorts. Besides, by crossing the Spencer with other sorts new colours have been evolved, and the Spencer type can now be had in nearly all the colours, the pink shades predominating. There can be no doubt but that with further trial, many of these so-called novelties will be found synonymous, and we venture to prophecy 75 per cent will disappear within the next couple of years.

Eckford and Burpee used to be the two names prominent for new kinds, but we now have in addition a host of others. Bolton, Breadmore, Unwin, Dobbie have all made a name for themselves with meritorious introductions, and this year we have a lady who has entered the lists, and bids fair to make the men folks look well to their laurels. Miss Hemus is the lady’s name. She is a member of the Royal Horticultural Society of England, and the raiser of Paradise, a lovely carmine Speneer sent out last year. She has also raised Paradise ivory, Paradise white, Paradise regained. Grand names sure enough; but we, unfortunately, cannot procure seeds of these this year, as the lady advertises she has sold out all the crop.

The National Sweet Pea Society’ of England is doing good work in experi-

men ting and classifying sweet peas. The Society conducts extensive trials yearly at Reading, and all new varieties are tested there alongside already established sorts. This is the only way of finding out the merits or demerits of any

kind placed on the market. The annual exhibition held in London is only one of the occasions on which the blooms are shown side by side. The influence of this society is spreading, and sweet pea associations are springing up in some of the larger provinces in the Old Country, and also in America and Canada. 'We in the Dominion are only beginning to take an interest in such matters, and there is no flower which will so well repay the little cultivation requisite. It is a flower everyone may grow, and it is not a costly fancy. We very heartily commend to all the cultivation of sweet peas. NOTES ON A FEW NOVELTIES. Princess Victoria. — This is a new variety now being put into

commerce by Messrs. Dobbie and Co., Rothesay. It was named after Princess Victoria. There is an old variety of that name with carmine standards, but the new comer is one of the Spencer type, with waved standard and

wings. The flowers are of a uniform soft pink, except the base of the standard, which is white. Both standard and wings are somewhat variable in the amount of their waviness, but they are quite sufficient to show that the variety belongs to the Spencer type, while it is not so much crimped as to be reduced in size like some of those we have seen. Sutton’s Queen. — One of the most distinct novelties that will be put into commerce this year is named Sutton’s Queen. The primary and chief distinction is that the beautiful pink shading overlies a creamy ground. In most other pink varieties coming under our notice, the shading or colour, whatever it is, overlies a white ground. For instance, we have a large number of varieties of different shades of pink coming under the Speneer type, but in most of

them there is a white ground colour. This would also apply to older varieties in different shades, either of rose or pink. The blossoms measured 2 in. across the standard and are more or less waved. The wings are also waved to some extent and widely expanded. Lord Nelson.— Lord Nelson is simply a brilliant and brighter form of Navy Blue, and if it keeps its character, the well-known variety of that name is bound to disappear in the course of a few years when this has had time to get scattered about over the land as the result of plenty of seed being available. White and Primrose Spencers. Two Speneer varieties that we find in most lists are Burpee’s White Spencer and Burpee’s Primrose Spencer. They eome with a great flourish of trumpets, but must be taken somewhat on .trust. They are supposed to be almost identical ‘with Etta Dyke and Clara Curtis, and if such is the case in another year they must appear under these names. Both are strong growers, the standards and wings being decidedly waved, and are well worth growing. The Marquis. — A fascinating flower of an entirely new shade of colour in sweet peas, difficult to describe. Ihe whole tone of the flower is rosy heliotrope. the standard showing more rose than the wings. Of best Spencer type, large flowers, usually four on a stem when well grown. Award ol merit National Sweet Pea Society. 1906. ami confirmed 1907. This variety has been raised hv Messrs. Dobbie and Co.

Prince Olaf. — A striped variety with upright standard, ground colour of standard, and wings being white marbled with clear blue. Ihe habit, of the plant is good and the flower stem usually carries four well placed blooms. Award of merit by National Sweet Pea Society. Reading trials. This article will be concluded next week. &