544 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



season; Grover Cleveland, dark crimson, late; Mme. 

 Geissler, rosy lilac, early; La Tulipe, flesh pink, center 

 petals tipped and enter petals striped with carmine, 

 fragrant, late mid-season ; Francois Ortegat, dark 

 amaranth-red, mid-season ; La Coquette, light pink, 

 center flecked with carmine, fragrant, mid-season ; Claude 

 Lorraine, soft flesh color shaded with chamois, mid- 

 season ; \'ictor Hugo, brilliant carmine red, late ; IMme. 

 Emile Lemoine, milk white, mid-season ; Descartes, 

 amaranth red, fragrant, mid-season ; the comparatively 

 new variety, tenuifolia flore pleno, an early, dazzling 

 crimson-red, of dwarf growth with finely dissected folig-ge 

 and the old extra early crimson-red variety, rubrum. 



SINGLE HERBACEOUS PEONIES. 



Single peonies are comparatively new to the public, but 

 are fast growing in favor. They are considered by man 

 more artistic in form than the double peonies. 



The list of varieties is not large. Among the more 

 desirable varieties are the Bride, also called Albiflora, 

 color pure white ; Austin Chamberlain, amaranth red ; 

 Celestial, lovely soft rose pink ; Flag of Truce, lilac white ; 

 Stanley, dark brilliant crimson ; The Moor, purple garnet. 



JAPANESE PEONIES. 



The Japanese peonies form an intermediate class be- 

 tween the double and single peonies. In these the sta- 

 mens have been transformed into narrow petaloids. As 

 yet these are found mostly in the collections of connois- 

 seurs, and peony enthusiasts. Their colors are brilliant 

 and they are often quite irregular in form. The number 

 of varieties known in this country is small. Among the 

 best are Attraction, color Tyrian rose, mid-season ; Lady 

 of Grace, white splashed with crimson, tipped with gold ; 

 Rosalind, pink tipped with buff ; White Lady, lilac-white ; 

 King of England, rich ruby madder with central jietals 

 pure gold ; Cascade, pure white ; Dragon's Head, pale 

 rose striped with dark crimson. 



TREE PEONIES. 



The tree peonies differ from the herbaceous peonies 

 before mentioned in that they form a dwarf shrub which 

 reaches sometimes the height of four feet. Some are 

 from Europe and others from Japan. Those from 

 Europe are by no means new, but those from Japan are 

 yet comparatively rare. Tree peonies bloom about three 

 weeks earlier than the Chinensis section to which the 

 herbaceous peonies belong. The following are among 

 the best; Bijou de Chusan. color blush white; Etna glow- 

 ing fiery red; Louise Mouchelot, silvery rose, Maxima 

 plena, white shaded with violet red ; Reine Elizabeth, rose 

 color ; Emilia, light salmon-rose. Tree peonies are per- 

 fectly hardy, but are benefited by a slight protection 

 during the winter. 



PLANTING CULTIVATION AND CARE. 



The peony is a heavy feeder and needs good soil. A 

 soil which retains dampness in a moderate degree is de- 

 sirable, but, locations of a swampy nature, or where water 

 will stand around the plants should be avoided. When 

 planted in beds, the best results are obtained by excavation 

 of the entire bed two feet deep. Well rooted manure, 

 preferably cow manure, .should be placed in bottom of 

 bed to the depth of about six inches. Never use fresh 

 manure. Spade the manure in at bottom of bench, then 

 fill in the bed with a mixture of two-thirds soil, and one- 

 third leaf mold and well rotted manure. If the soil is a 

 heavy clay, instead of two-thirds soil, use one-third soil 

 and one-third sand witli the leaf mold and well rotted 

 manure. When the bed is filled the center should round 

 up so as to stand about eight inches above the level of the 

 ground. Allow about a three foot circle for each plant. 



Plant the roots very firmly and deep enough so that the 

 crowns will be about three inches below the surface. In 

 setting plants separately on the lawn or in the garden, 

 prepare the soil the same way as for planting in beds. 

 Cover the bed after planting with coarse strawy manure. 

 September is the best month for planting peonies, but 

 they may be planted up to November. Every autumn 

 after the ground has frozen, cut off the peony stalks about 

 three inches above the ground, throw them on the bed or 

 plant, and cover with coarse manure. Three or more 

 flower buds are generally produced on one peony stem. 

 To obtain the largest flowers, pinch off all of these except 

 the terminal bud. \\'hen the blooms are to be used in 

 vases, cut the flower when half open, give fresh water 

 each day, cutting of abojjt one-half inch daily from stem 

 to remove the callus, so that the stem may absorb water. 

 So treated blooms will last from eight to ten davs. 



FOUR LEAF CLOVER. 



I know a place where the sun is like gold, 

 .And the cherry blossoms burst like snow, 

 And down underneath is the loveliest nook 

 \\"here the four-leaf clovers grow. 



One leaf is for hope, and one is for faith, 



And one is for love you know. 



And God put another in for luck ; 



If you search you will find where they grow. 



But you must hope, and you must have faith ; 

 You must love and be strong and so ; 

 If you work : if you wait, you will find the place 

 Where the four-leaf clovers grow. 



— Selected. 



ROSES 



For June and July Planting 



Grafted and Own Root Stock 



#jT We can supply Mrs. Shawyer, 

 Ladv Hillingdon, Sunburst, 

 Killarnev, My Maryland and 

 Radiance. White Killarney, 



Richmond and American Beauty. 



Write us for quotations on your wants 



CHAS. H. TOTTY 



MADISON, 



N . 



