GARDEN PEAS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVIII, Issue 7, 14 August 1912, Page 38

GARDEN PEAS.

So numerous are the varieties of this grand vegetable, and so glowing are the descriptions given to each new-comer 4hat man\ amateurs are quite at a loss to know what varieties to sow in their ganh'iis. Generally speaking, most amateurs have only a very limited space at their ('ommaml for the growing of vegetables ami therefore cannot give the room necessaiy for proving what are the best. Then the question arises what is meant by the be-t? Is it the heaviest cropper, tin* best quality, or the one which conies into use the earliest? Xow. if we take the earliest, we have to consider whether tin* grower can provide sticks, and also will he be cohtent with |s>or quality or a poor cion? Take Gradus, for instance; it is certainly one

son for this is not far to seek. English Wonder is a heavy cropper and shells out well, and though it is about ten days later in coming into use, the fact of the greater yield has resulted in its retention. Within the last year or two a variety named Little Marvel was put on the market, and those who have tried the pea speak well of it as a heavy cropper, and it comes into use about the same time as William Hurst. Then we have a host of what may be termed second earlies. King Edward VII. is very good. Little Gem. an old favourite, still holds its own, for although the peas are small, it can generally be depended on to produce a heavy crop. Stanley does not appear to be so popular ns it formerly was, owing no doubt to its liability to produce small pods. The

standard than Stratagem, and no doubt on this account market growers specially are very chary about their seed. Pride of the Market, although not of the best quality, is a very satisfactory variety to plant in any garden. Tt is very hardy and a good yielder, and when properly cured —by cutting before it gets too dry —is the best sort for drying for winter use. For late crops The Gladstone is the very finest quality, good cropper, and cooks a fine deep green colour. Ne Plus Ultra is a very old variety, and where stakes can be provided, one of the best peas to grow, but most people fight shy of it owing to its height (<> feet). We have refrained from enumerating many fine tall sorts, as only a limited number of growers can find the necessary stakes for them. There are also some grand exhi-

parentage of this rose, namely, Aladame de Tartas crossed with Lady Alary Fitzw iliam. The first named is a fine old tea rose, introduced as far back as 1853, a splendid grower, from which Caroline Testout unquestionably inherits her vigour. Lady Alary Fitzwilliam was raised by Bennett, and introduced in 1882. The parentage of this rose was as follows: Devoniensis was crossed with Victor Verdier, and in its offspring either directly or indirectly one may see traces of t hese two fine roses, all hough Victor Verdier has bequeathed the very bad trait of want of fragrance in many of the kinds. Beautiful pale coloured sports or seedlings of Caroline Testout are Admiral Dewey, blush white; Irene, white; Margaret Guillot, creamy white, and Sou-

venir de Rosieriste. white, and Rose Vilin, a most delightful rose, almost pure white, with Howers produced upon erect stalks, a really remarkable rose which originated by crossing C. Testout with Catherine Mermet. Then there is James Ferguson, a sport of Caroline Testout, which received a silver gilt medal at the autumn show of the National Rose Society last year. It is a very light shade of pink, almost white, inside of petals, darker outside, and is a decided acquisition. We are still looking for a yellow Testout, and probably this will be forthcoming ere long. Frau Philipp Siesmayor 'is a good novelty of Herr Peter Grossherzog Friedrich, from the same Lamberts, a sort of yellowish rose, and raiser, is a carmine Rose shaded yellow. Then we have that lovely variety Madame Leon Pain, a rose for everybody, with most exquisite pink flowers, the base of each blossom golden yellow, which that variety of unique colouring Souvenir de Catherine Guillot has imparted. Konigin Carola has huge blossoms intermediate between C. Testout and Viscountess Folkestone, its parents; it would be a perfect show bloom were it not for a faulty centre which appears in almost every bloom. Mrs. E. G. Hill has beautiful contrasting colours, and Jonckheer J. L. Mock is the latest to diaim iparentajge from C. Testout in rather a remote fashion. It is, however, a fine rose, perhaps one of the best new show blooms for some years. Two excellent dark rose pink sorts sire Marie Croibier and Veluwezoom, both rather deeper in colour than Mrs. W. J. Grant, but with Testout growth. We now want a good yellow or cream, and a good velvety crimson of the Victor Hugo tint to’make the Caroline Testout group one of the most useful for all gardens. I must not omit to mention the climbing Caroline Testout, perhaps our best climbing large-flowered pink rose. —“The Gardener.” [M. Pernet Ducher recently won the Gold Cup at the International Show for a new rose named Mme. Edouard Herriot. It is to be named the Herriot Daily Mail rose.]