UNFIXED SWEET PEAS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLV, Issue 17, 26 April 1911, Page 41

UNFIXED SWEET PEAS.

IS THEIR DISTRIBUTION JUSTIFIABLE. One of the ‘ greatest disappointments that a Sweet Pea enthusiast can have is to find that some variety on which he has expended much labour and money, and from which he has been led to expect marvellous results, proves to be nothing better than

a hopeless mixture; but there are few growers who have not hud such an unpleasant experience. Indeed, so frequently have such disappointments occurred that they have even threatened the popularity of the Sweet I’ea. Happily, the last two or three years have shown an improvement in the fixity of most varieties, and the improvement promises to continue. This is due to the recognition on the part of the public that reliability is possible, even in the case of the Spencer varieties, and on the part of the seedsman that a gooo reputation is a most valuable commercial asset. Unfortunately, there are a few varieties that have not shared in this general improvement, and which, from whatever source they are obtained, continue year after year to yield a considerable crop of rogues. Several varieties seem able to test all the arts of the raiser, even when those arts are applied over a number of years. It is sometimes argued that these unfixed varieties ought never to be placed on the market at all, and in the case of some varieties this argument is undoubtedly sound, as they have proved disappointing to everyone who has grown them. Of other varieties, however, the reverse is the case, as the unfixed Sweet Peas include some that are unquestionably superior to any others of the same colours.

Let us take examples. Of the deeper pink Sweet Peas we find Audrey Crier, Syeira Lee, Olive Ruffell and Marjorie Binzee, all tar from fixed, but surpassing in excellence every fixed variety on the market. Every exhibitor who has won through his Audrey Crier, and who has been charmed by the beautiful Syeira Lee or Olive Ruffell, will agree that it would be a sin to banish these varieties from our gardens. Again, when Helen Lewis and many other leading varieties were first placed on the market, it was found that they threw a considerable proportion of unwaved flowers, but the true flowers were of such merit as to far more than compensate for their unfixity. There are few keen growers who, if asked whether they would have a stock of Helen Lewis that w'ould give 50 per cent of rogues or go without, would not prefer the former alternative. It is no disgrace, therefore, for a seedsman to list unfixed varieties of Sweet Peas; but if he does offer such varieties, it is only common honesty that he should in his catalogue draw attention to the fact that they are not fixed. Not only this, but he should state the proportion of true plants in the stock from which the seed was saved, and also, if passible, the nature and- percentage of the rogues. Such information is very useful to a grower, for as a general rule an unfixed variety will throw each year the same rogues in about the same proportion. Some seedsmen already offer this information, although perhaps not very fully; and in the last two seasons the writer has had the pleasure of growing a stock of Olive Ruffell that was advertised to throw 50 per cent true and 25 per cent each of Constance Oliver and Paradise Carmine, and behaved almost exactly as advertised. In - the same way Audrey Crier can be obtained which will throw no other rogues than Helen Lewis and Mrs Hardcastle Sykes, although with the writer it has hardly been so reliable in its unfixity as has Olive Ruffell. Syiera Lee is probably identical with Miriam Beaver, Anglican Pink, Doris Usher and several others, and a good stock should not throw any other rogues than a very bright Helen Lewis and a variety near Mrs Henry Bell; but probably the majority of stocks in commerce will'throw also unwaved flowers. Marjorie Ljnzee throws John Ingman and Countess Spencer, and is probably identical with Olive Bolton. It will be seen that the rogues of good strains of the unfixed varieties are frequently of use for exhibition in other bunches, and, even . when the rogues have unwaved standards, their removal will give valuable additional room to the plants remaining. It may be interesting to note that as an alternative to the growing of unfixed stocks, recourse may sometimes be had to cross-fertilisation, for we find that if good stocks of Constance Oliver and Paradise -Carmine, are crossed, the resulting plants will in the first generation all lie Olive Ruffell. Likewise Helen Lewis crossed with Mrs H. Sykes will give Audrey Crier, and Countess Spencer crosed with John Ingman will give Marjorie Llnzee. Tn the same way a strain of Syeira Lee pure for one year should be obtainable. Tn the generation, of course, segration will take place.—O. F. Drayaon in “The Garden."