The herald., 1897-05-24
so SAYS w. ATLEE BURPEE
THE PHILADELPHIA SEEDSMAN
IN THE CITY
Looking for Nove1ties-Some Beau
tifu1 Dwarf Sweet Peas.
Freaks in Flowers

Burpee, quartered at the Hotel Van
Nuys. The firm Of w. Atlee Burpee &
Co. ,proprietors Of the celebrated Ford
hook seed farms near Doyleston, was
awarded in 1S96-97 the government con-
tract for the supply of seeds for the
eastern states and Pacific coast section.
| and through the United States depart
ment of agriculture has distributed
seeds all over the country, the contract
calling for 7,47O,75 packets.
The company depends much on Cali
fornia for its seeds, which are planted
in the immense trial farms at Ford
hook, and SO great are the developments
under the peculiar climate of the Pacific
coast that Mr.. Burpee finds it profitable
to come out each year to see in person
the new crosses and creations that ma
ture is producing in "the land where tits
always afternoon
In talking of this yesterday to Herald
representative. Mr.. Burpee said: "Tha
work OF hybridizing in Europe and in
the east is the work of man. In Cali
fornia the changes in climate and soil
seem to cooperate with nature in pro-
ducing remarkable freaks and giving
astonishing results quite unknown in
the east and in Europe.
For example. Mrs. Shepherd has a
new eschscholtzia developed from the
'eschscholtzia martina of Germany.
which is four or five inches across
in California, instead of two inches
across as it is in Germany. At Menlo
park last year a strain of sweet peas
was developed which was named Red
Riding Hood" In this sweet pea the
standard, instead of being expanded
laps over the keel and wings, making
a perfect hood. The flower is not so
beautiful. but it is attracting much at.
tention, being a freak of nature and
found only in California.
"At Santa Rosa, Luther Burbank.
known all over the world as the Wizard
Of Horticulture has attained wonderful
results in hybridizing and cross fertil-
izing. We bought a rose short time
since of Mr. Burbank, for which we
paid $500. This rose was the best out
|of $4,000 seedlings.
"It is wonderful what California is
doing in vegetables" said Mr.. Burpee
''All the Lima beans grown in Amer
lea, and, in fact, all the pole beans used
for seed, are now grown but 1. few miles
from Los Angeles, at Saticoy and Car
pinteria. Formerly the great contracts
all went to Europe. now they all come to
California and Europe only comes in
incidentally. This is especially true since
1885. Nearly all the lettuce, onions, satisfy
and celery seed used in the United
States comes from California. This
state is also beginning to produce cauli-
flower seed quite equal to that of Hol-
land and Denmark. which have hitherto
supplied the world.
L am looking up some new strains Of
flowers here said Mr.. Burpee, "and
shall visit Edward Gray of Alhambra,
who has new cross Of large fiowered
gladiolus, which, unfortunately, will not
be in blossom at this season. shall
also visit Thomas Rafferty, of Santa
Ana, who Is doing some fine work in
grand-flowered cyclamen. 1 shall stop
at Santa Paula, where Badger & Son
are growing some fine asters. The IA
cilities for growing aster seeds are Won
derful here and are ahead of the German
growers, who have heretofore supplied
the world. In Ventura / shall spend
day with Mrs. T. B. Shepherd 1 have
recently bought from her two novelties,
the Tom Thumb nasturtium, Sunlight
and Moonlight. They fiowered just be-
fore I left Philadelphia. Sunlight was
rich glowing yellow and Moonlight pale
and delicate, and both solid self-color
remarka bly, free from vein or mark of
any kind.
"At Santa Clara shall be the guest
of c. c. Morse Mr.. Morse, you know, is
the discoverer and propagator of the
original White Cupid sweet pea, for
which we paid last year $4,000, and have
introduced through our catalogues all
over the world. Mr. Morse began eight
or nine years ago with seed from Henry
Eckford of London. He has developed
the White Cupid, the Pink Cupid, and
through cross-fertilizing one freak oc-
CURED last year showing twenty new
colors. The Pink Cupid is the most beau
tiful. 1t is wonderfully true. 1t is also
dwarf, being but five or six inches
high. We paid Morse $500 in advance
for 1860 seeds. These were planted last
spring and produced 1000 plants, each
one absolutely true. The Pink Cupid is
being grown in England for exhibition
In London in July, before the Royal Hor-
ticultural society, and also in France
for exhibition at the Societe Nationa!e
Horticulture.
I'm 1896 the White Cupid was awarded
certificate in Paris and London, and
no doubt the Pink Cupid will also re-
ceive the award
This Is the first time any American
novelties have received such recognl-
ton abroad. Henry Eckford and the
great authorities of Europe have been
unable to explain the new departure in
the habits of this simple flower. The
White Cupid appeared first in field of
seven acres of ordinary sweet peas a
single dwarf plant The Pink Cupid is
not a sport of the white but is also a
chance Seeding found in a field of tai!
sweet peas. 1t is strictly Cupid. and
blossoms in stems about six inches high.
A new American seeding, the "Stelia
Morse" is sweet pea approaching vel
low, of faint color, rich, creamy buff
thrifty grower and vigorous bloomer.
"The keen appetite for novelties now
leads every hybridizer to herald any new
variations in glowing colors. OF course
our own trial grounds give US the great
est opportunities for testing every seed
before we put 1t upon the market"
Mr.. Burpee will return to Philadel-
phia the last of June and on July 7th ex.