Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-08-02

That year was an eventful one in
| the sweetpea industry, for about the
some time. W. j. UnWin of Cambridge,
found a sport in Prima Donna. 1t was
called the Gladys unWin. II is also of
| the Way type. but the flowers do not
| come quite as large as the Spencer.
Another family Of the sweet pea has
| originated from this form.
The introduction OF these types
meant goodby 70 the small hooded va
| rieties that were so popular a few
Years ago 1t would be hard to emu
| merate all the popular varieties of the
| present, but the ones that have devel-
| oped from the Countess Spencer, and
which are particularly well liked are
| the Florence Moore Spencer, which is
! of a blush color. the King Edward
Spencer. crimson scarlet: the Mrs.
Rentzahn. apricot and pink; the Helen
Lewis, orange the George Herbert,
rosy earmine; the Asia Ohm. lavender;
| the Primrose Spencer. light yellow;
the White spencer, white: the Otheilo
I Spencer. maroon; the Apple Blossom
! Spencer, rose and blush: the Autera
| Spencer, white-striped orange salmon.
Another spencer is the Mrs. Hugh
| Dickson. which is a novelty and will
prove one of the features of the CONF
! ing exhibition The coloring is a rich
pinkish apricot on a cream ground.
| shading off rather lighter toward the
center. The gigantic flowers are Well
waved and frilled, and are always
| borne in fours or fiVes upon exceed
| ingly long stems This is another
point that the sweet-pea cultu7!sts
| have been aiming at. to secure four
and five flowers on a stem, as in the
old fashioned varieties there we're only
| one or two
The Unwin type is favored by some
and the flowers make attractive bou-
quets The principal types are the
GLADYS Unwin, pink, the Noah I'm
| win. a pure white. which is beautiful
ly waved. and the Frank Dolby. Law
ender blue
There are those who still stand by
the older, or grandifiora, type. but
these latter are fast being crowded out
| by the Spencers. And while the types
mentioned are but a 1.-THE of the total
| number, new varieties are constantly
springing up. and one reason for in
augurating shows in this country is
10 stimulate the growing of new and
| better kinds.
One reason sweet peas are so popu
lar is that they can be used for so
| many occasions. including balls, van
quets. funerals and weddings. Few
| flowers lend themselves to the decora-
tors art as 90 these fragrant blooms
| They require no wiring or stiffening of
| the stem: once they are cut they are
| ready for 2eft fingers 10 create charm
! ing effects for almost any purpose.
| Many maids and matrons have made
a study of harmoniZing their colors for
house dinners. A lovely combination
| may be made by using crimson and
yellow. While they look dull under
an artificial light. lavender and blue
are pleasing at other times Various
shades of pink. from light to very
dark. give a good effect, and are much
in demand for table use
| There is also an art in arranging the
| flowers. The sprays should never be
| TANNED closely together. but should
be as light and airy-looking rs posi-
/ Bile, A few sprays of coiored lycopo-
| dium. asparagus smilax or other light
greenery allowed to spread over the
| soes of the receptacles, or arranged on
| the table. help in the general effect,
| while light grasses and little of their
| own foliage inserted among the flow
ers lend grace and elegance to the ar
| rangement.
| The sweet pea industry is more
extensive one than most people thlhk
Indeed. in some places 1t is conducted
on a regular farming scale. The mar
vesting is lust as important in Cali
fornia and in a few other localities as
is any other harvest. There Is as
| much hard work on the farm and
| fields and the same jollification and
| the good time generally that follow
| the garnering of eatable crops.
The farmers and gardeners pay just
| as much attention to the irrigatlns
and the blocking out OF the blights
and poste, as they do to their vegeta
| bles. From a commercial standpoint
| ii pays them just as much. or more.
| The seed is in just as much demand as
the flower. This is especially true of
| any new variety.
| Those who have extensive sweet
pea farms have installed overhead lr-
| rigatirg systems These have proved
| as successful with sweet peas as with
other plants. 1t is necessary to spray
| the vines overhead in the cool of the
| evening during a hot dry spell, and
| on the large farms the irrigating
| plants save considerable time and la
/ Dor. -Pittshurg Dispatch.