. The American florist : a weekly journal for the trade. Floriculture; Florists. 848 The American Florist. May 22,. The Modern Sweet Pea—II. IIIK TYPE. The Spenocr type of the sweet pea is worth an article. Here is where we arc now in the evolution of tbis fiower. But few of the varieties have as yet been put within the reach of the Am- erican ' flower - loving public, although the English fanciers are all agog over them. Still, their advent must be announced, and an- other season wall put a good list of them into the American catalogues. And they mark a genuine epoch in the developm
. The American florist : a weekly journal for the trade. Floriculture; Florists. 848 The American Florist. May 22,. The Modern Sweet Pea—II. IIIK TYPE. The Spenocr type of the sweet pea is worth an article. Here is where we arc now in the evolution of tbis fiower. But few of the varieties have as yet been put within the reach of the Am- erican ' flower - loving public, although the English fanciers are all agog over them. Still, their advent must be announced, and an- other season wall put a good list of them into the American catalogues. And they mark a genuine epoch in the development and popularity of this flower. Their general form is distinct. Nature seems to have reserved some happy secret of crossing by which we now get this new advance. It is re- markable that such a simultaneous break from the previous grandiflora type should occur on both sides of the Atlantic. Kvents seem to have their appointed time in the floral world as well as in other things. The Spencer type has not come from patient selection, but it will furnish a grand opportunity for selection. Henry Eckford's prophetic vision was shown in his choice of this flower for special work. The Spencer type shows what nature has locked up in its benignant bosom. I used to think of Mr. Eckford as a high priest who entered the holy place. If an astronomer ought to be devout, the man who enters the secret place of the hybridizing art ought also to be devout. He cannot possibly know what he will get. But it is a thrilling moment when he finds that nature has rewarded him with a new color, or has let loose another measure of its pent-up life and energy. DESCRIPTIVE NAME WANTED. Some early harbinger of this new Spencer type was called orchid-flow- ered. And it seems rather constricted now to put the name of Spencer on all the varieties. We need some guiding divinity who shall decree a more botan- ical term in such cases. Still, it is provisionally convenient for the seed trade to tack on such a la
Size: 1369px × 1825px
Photo credit: © Library Book Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectfloriculture, bookyea
