Sweet Peas.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XL, Issue 19, 6 May 1908, Page 38

Sweet Peas.

(Concluded from last week.) CLASSIFICATION OF SWEET PEAS IN COLOUR. We have very carefully revised the list •if really good and distinct standard varieties of -weet peas. There are any number of kinds offering, many of which are almost identical. We have compiled our li-t from actual experience gained! by growing almost all the sorts in commerce ami those desirous of obtaining a collection of really good sorts might do worse than adopt the one we give. Ihe classiti cation of sweet peas is a very difficult task indeed, there being so many shades, there are sea 1 rely any two growers agree. Crimson. -King Edward VII., a magnilicent flower of great size. Queen Alexandra, the finest crimson scarlet sweet pea. does not burn, bold erect standard, remarkably good. White. N ora I’nwin, considered to be the finest and largest pure white; ereet standard. Shasta, one of the most beau tiful pure whites, strong grower. Doro thy Eekford. hooded pure white, tlowerf most profusely. Lavender.— Frank Dolby, an exquis-

ite shade of lavendler. waved erect standard. Lady Grisel Hamilton, hooded standard, one of the best, has a small spotty seed. Miss Philbrick, very pale lavender, a most boautif.il flower, quite distinct. Magenta and Purple. — Duke of Westminster, strong grower, large hold flowers. George Gordon, reddish crimson, standard, rosy purple wings, fine large flower. Blue.— Lord Nelson, deep violet, blue, a great improvement on navy blue. Burpee’s brilliant him* is identical. David IL Williamson, a grand dark bine, very fine vigorous grower. Horace Wright, quite distinct, deep blue, very fine. Blush.— Duchess of Sutherland; standard slightly hooded. Blush Queen, a pale blush form of Gladys Unwin. Buff— A gnes Johnson, buff wings, large Howers, charming variety. Duchess of Westminster, delicate buff, small Howers. Yellow.— Mrs. Collier; a fine flower, superior to Mrs. Kenyon, being deeper in colour. Hon. Mrs. E. Kenyon, deep primrose, a fine flower. Gohlen Hose, line yellow, tinged with rose. Pink. —Gladys Unwin, sprot from Countess Spencer, very line. Janet Scott, very chaste, hooded pink. Paradise, a very tine bright pink large flowers. Countess Spencer, shell pink, sports considerably. Queen of Spain, a beautiful shell pink with most distinct foliage.

upright standard and red tendrils. This variety has been much admired wherever exhibited. It was sent out last season by Mr. Eekford, and did very well in the Dominion. Salmon and Orange.— Henry Eckford, rich orange salmon, burns badly in sun; one of the finest grown: cut flowers in bud. and flower in eool house. George Herbert, orange carmine, very large waved flowers; superb. Cerise.— Coccinea, two flowers only on a stem, but most distinct in colour. Dark Rose. — John Inngman, one of the best; rich rose, waved. Chocolate.— Black Knight, erect standard; one of the best. Othello, similar

in colour to Black Knight, but flowers are hooded.

Bicolours.— Jeannie Gordon, earmine led, creamy buff wings. Little Dorritt, pink standard, blush white wings. Striped.— America, scarlet flake or stripe on white. Princess of Wales, bluish stripe on dull white. Florence Molyneux, a lovely flower, strong grower. Picotee Edged.— Dainty, white with pink edge, a charming variety. Maid of Honour, bluish white, flushed lavender, very showy.

Marbled.— Helen Pierce, a very beautiful and quite distinct variety, bright blue, flushed or marbled silvery white; produces a striking effect.

RAISING NEW VARIETIES. There are two methods of obtaining new varieties: (1) Raising from crossfertilised seed; (2) selecting and fixing variations. The first process is carried on as follows: Select a young bud of the variety which is to form the seed-bearing parent; eaiefully open it by pulling the keel gently downwards while holding the bud firmly with the left hand. The keel will spring back again, but this can be prevented by a slight alteration of thposition of the finger and thumb of th ■ left hand. With a pair of tweezers, remove the ten stamens if none of the anthers have burst. If even one of the anthers has burst and the pollen liberated, the flower is of no use for cross-fer-tilisation. A good lens should always b • handy, as only by means of it can one be certain that no pollen has got on to the stigma. Pollen should then be eon veyed from the variety which is forming the male parent and placed on the stigma of the bud which has been prepared to receive it. The fertilised bud must be marked, numbered, and protected by a paper bag, and the resultant pod carefully, treasured for sowing the following spring. The first year’s produce from cross-fertilised seed will resemble the female parent. Seed from it must again be carefully saved, and the following year a number of breaks will appear, ami efforts must be made to fix anv of them which are worthy.

Variations appearing among named var'eties which are considered valuable should be carefully drawn to one side of the row and fixed by means of raffia to a separate stick. The seed should be saved and sown the following season. It is possible that only one or two plants may

be equal to the parent. All others slum I 1 be discarded, and the true form again saved. This process may have to be carried on for some years until the variety is fixed. Novices should make certain that a supposed variation is not merely a ••rogue’’ that is the produce of a stray seed of another variety.