The Field and Garden Vegetables of America Part 95

Plant about three feet high; pods generally in pairs, well filled, long, roundish, gradually curved from the stem to the point, or cimeter-shaped; seeds of good quality, larger than those of the Prussian Blue, from which the variety doubtless originated, and to which, when grown in poor soil, it has a tendency to return.

If planted the 1st of May, it will blossom about the 28th of June, and the pods will be suitable for plucking about the middle of July.

It bears abundantly, but not in succession; and, for this reason, is much prized by market-gardeners. The most of the pods being fit to pluck at the same time, the crop is harvested at once, and the land immediately occupied with other vegetables.

BLUE IMPERIAL.

Dwarf Blue Imperial.

Plant strong and vigorous, four feet in height, with large, healthy foliage; pods single and in pairs, three inches and a quarter in length, three-fourths of an inch in breadth, containing six or seven large peas.

The ripe seed is somewhat indented and irregularly compressed, three-eighths of an inch in diameter, and of a greenish-blue color.

With respect to season, the variety is intermediate. If planted the 1st of May, it will blossom the 26th of June, and the pods will attain a size fit for plucking about the 12th of July. It is very hardy; yields abundantly; thrives well in almost any description of soil or situation; and, though not so sweet and tender as some of the more recent sorts, is of good quality. It vegetates with much greater certainty, and its crops are more reliable, than the higher-flavored varieties; and these qualities will still secure its cultivation by those who prefer a certain and plentiful supply of fair quality, to a precarious and limited yield of extraordinary sweetness and excellence. It has long been grown in this country, and is considered a standard variety.

BLUE PRUSSIAN. _Cot. Gard._

Dwarf Blue Prussian. Prussian Blue. Green Prussian.

Plant of a vigorous but not robust habit of growth, with a single stem about three feet high, which is sometimes branching. The pods are generally produced in pairs, but are also sometimes single, and vary from twelve to sixteen on each plant. They are from two and three-fourths of an inch to three inches long, three-fourths of an inch wide, somewhat curved, and rather broader towards the point, where they terminate abruptly. They contain about seven peas, which are four-tenths of an inch long, seven-twentieths of an inch wide, about the same in thickness, and compressed on the sides, from being so close together.

The ripe seed is blue.

Sown the 1st of May, the plants blossomed June 28, and yielded pease for use the middle of July.

It produces abundantly, and is a valuable sort for late summer use. "It is unquestionably the parent of the Blue Imperial and all like varieties."

BLUE SPANISH DWARF. _Cot. Gard._

Groom's Superb. Blue Fan.

Plant from a foot and a half to three feet high. The pods are single and in pairs, in about equal proportion, two inches and a half long, containing from six to seven peas each. The ripe seed is pale-blue.

Plants from sowings made the first of May will blossom the last of June, and yield pease for use the middle of July.

It is a useful variety for small gardens, as it is a low grower and a fair bearer; but it is now much surpa.s.sed by Bishop's Long-podded and Burbridge's Eclipse, both of which are considered more prolific and better flavored.

BRITISH QUEEN. _Cot. Gard._

Hair's Defiance. Tall White Mammoth. Erin's Queen.

The plant is of a showy and robust habit of growth, from six to seven feet high, sometimes with a single stem, but generally branching within nine inches or a foot of the ground, and frequently furnished with two and even three laterals, which are of the same height as the whole plant. The pods begin to be produced at the first joint above the first lateral shoot, and are in number from thirteen to eighteen on each plant. They are generally single, but frequently in pairs, from three inches and a quarter to three inches and three-quarters long, rather flattened and broad when first fit to gather, but becoming round and plump when more advanced. They are quite smooth, of a bright-green color, slightly curved, wavy on the upper edge, and contain from five to seven exceedingly large peas, which are not so close together as to compress each other. The ripe seed is white, large, and wrinkled.

Sown the 1st of May, the plants will blossom about the 30th of June, and pods may be plucked for use about the 15th of July. They will ripen off about the 1st of August.

This is one of the best late peas in cultivation. It belongs to the cla.s.s known as Wrinkled, or Knight's Marrow; but is much superior in every respect to all the old varieties usually called Knight's Marrows, being much more prolific and richly flavored. As an intermediate variety, it deserves a place in every garden.

BURBRIDGE'S ECLIPSE. _Cot. Gard._

Stubbs's Dwarf.

Plant a robust grower, always with a simple stem, attaining the height of a foot and a half to about two feet; pods in pairs, rarely single, and from three inches to three inches and a quarter long, seven-tenths of an inch broad, perfectly straight, and of equal width throughout, with a slight waving on the upper edge,--they contain from five to seven peas, which are ovate, nearly half an inch long, a third of an inch broad, and the same in thickness.

Seed was planted May 1, the plants blossomed June 26, and pods were plucked for use July 14.

This may be cla.s.sed among the valuable contributions which have been made to the list of peas during the last few years. Unlike most of the dwarf varieties, it is a most productive sort; and thus its dwarf character is not its chief recommendation. For private gardens, or for cultivation for market, few peas surpa.s.s this and Bishop's Long-podded.

CARTER'S VICTORIA. _Trans._

Carter's Eclipse.

Plant six to seven feet high; pods large, slightly curved, containing seven or eight large peas, which are sweet and of excellent quality. The ripe seeds are white, and much shrivelled or wrinkled.

Plants from seeds sown May 1 blossomed July 1, and the pods were fit for plucking the 18th of the month.

The variety continues long in bearing, and the peas exceed in size those of Knight's Tall White Marrow. It is one of the best late tall peas.

CHARLTON. _Cot. Gard. Law. Thomp._

Early Charlton.

The original character of this variety may be described as follows:--

Plant about five feet high, and of vigorous growth; leaves large, with short petioles; tendrils small; pods broad, containing six or seven peas of excellent quality. They are rather larger than those of the Early Frame, with which this is often confounded. The Early Charlton may, however, be distinguished by its stronger habit of growth, flat pods, larger seeds, and by being fit for use about a fortnight later than the Early Frame; so that, when sown at the same time, it forms a succession.

According to the Messrs. Lawson, this is the oldest, and for a long period was the best known and most extensively cultivated, of all the varieties of white garden-pease. Its history can be traced as far back as 1670; and from that time till about 1770, or nearly a century, it continued to stand first in catalogues as the earliest pea, until it was supplanted by the Early Frame about 1770. It is further said by some to be the source from which the most esteemed early garden varieties have arisen; and that they are nothing else than the Early Charlton Pea, considerably modified in character from the effects of cultivation and selection. Although this idea may seem far-fetched, it is not improbable, especially when we take into consideration the susceptibility of change, from cultivation and other causes, which the Pea is ascertained to possess. Thus if the Early Charlton, or any other variety, be sown for several years, and only the very earliest and very latest flowering-plants selected for seed each season, the difference in the time of ripening between the two will ultimately become so great as to give them the appearance of two distinct varieties; and by sowing the earlier portion on light, early soils, and the later on strong, black, coa.r.s.e, or low soils, the difference will become materially increased.

It is therefore probable, that the Early Frame, with its numerous sub-varieties (including the Dan O'Rourke, Prince Albert, Early Kent, and a mult.i.tude of others), may have originated in the Charlton, though some of them differ essentially in their habit of growth.

The various names by which it has been known are Reading Hotspur, Master's or Flander's Hotspur, Golden Hotspur, Brompton Hotspur, Ess.e.x Hotspur, Early Nicol's Hotspur, Charlton Hotspur, and finally Early Charlton; the last name becoming general about 1750.

An English writer remarks, "that the variety now exists only in name.

That which is sold for the Early Charlton is often a degenerated stock of Early Frames, or any stock of Frames which cannot be warranted or depended upon, but which are, nevertheless, of such a character as to admit of their being grown as garden varieties. The Early Charlton, if grown at all by seed-growers as a distinct variety, is certainly cultivated to a very limited extent."

Of the popular American improved early sorts, the Hill's Early, Hovey's Extra Early, Landreth's Extra Early, are hardy, as well as very prolific; and are not only well adapted for private gardens, but may be recommended as the most profitable kinds for cultivating for early marketing. In an experimental trial of these kinds with the Early Daniel O'Rourke, and some of the most approved of the earliest foreign varieties, they proved to be nearly or quite as early, fully as prolific, continued longer in bearing, and were much more stocky and vigorous in habit.

CHAMPION OF PARIS. _Cot. Gard._

Excelsior. Paradise Marrow. Stuart's Paradise.

Plant of vigorous growth, with a simple stem five to six feet high, rarely branched, producing from eight to ten pods. These last are generally single, but sometimes in pairs, from three inches and a quarter to three inches and three-quarters long, and five-eighths of an inch wide. They are curved almost as much as those of the Cimeter; and, when near maturity, become quite fleshy, wrinkled, and thick-backed.

They contain from six to seven large peas, which are close together without being compressed. The ripe seed is white, medium-sized, somewhat flattened and pitted. If sown May 1, the plants will blossom June 28, and the pods will be ready for plucking July 16.