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Cutting the lowers. — When peonies are cut for sale or for house 

 use, they should be cut in bud and opened in a cool dark place.; 

 At just what point in the development of the bud is the propef 

 time to cut has been a matter much discussed. It differs 

 with the variety, but most of the varieties should be cut just as 

 the first outer petals begin to unfold and roll back. If they are 

 cut earlier than this, they often " go to sleep," or refuse to open 

 at all. The moment the buds are cut they should be quickly dropped 

 into a bucket of water. This is very important, for if the stems are 

 not instantly put into water, air will be drawn up into the stems and 

 this will cause the flowers to wilt very much sooner. The peony 

 flower being large, much water is transpired. Peonies intended for 

 shipping to market should be allowed to take up all the water they 

 will before being packed ; they will then travel much better. When 

 keeping in the home, it is best to change the water every day or two 

 to keep it sweet and fresh. 



In cutting blooms for market, it is advisable to leave some shoots 

 on each plant to furnish leaves for the continued growth of the 

 clump. Usually some buds will blast anyway; but if all the flowers 

 are cut, it will cause a very serious drain on the plant. If cutting 

 for home use, it is best to cut high in order that at least a few 

 leaves may be left on each shoot. 



W. H. Talpin gave a very good article in 1894 on picking, pack- 

 ing and storing peony blooms. He emphasized the point that varie- 

 ties diflfer in regard to the proper stage at which their buds should 

 be cut. He recommends fifteen inches as an average length of 

 stem for florists' flowers. In regard to keeping the blossoms, he 

 writes as follows : " From the field the flowers are taken to a 

 convenient place for sorting, where the leaves on the lower part of 

 the stem are stripped off. The flowers are now sorted in first and 

 second quality and tied in bunches of a dozen each ; after that the 

 flowers in pails of water Ere removed to a cool cellar or refrigerator 

 until wanted for shipment. Many of the good-keeping varieties, as 

 above mentioned, may be kept safely for two weeks or more in an 

 ordinary cool basement or cellar. But if the stock is intended to 

 be kept longer, it must be placed in cold storage, in an even tem- 

 perature of 38 to 40 degrees, where such varieties as Early White 

 and Late Rose have been kept in good condition for four weeks 

 and more. Before the flowers are sent out for shipment or placed 

 in cold storage, each bunch should be tightly wrapped in paper and 

 marked No. i or No. 2. When marketed in the bud, there is 



