78 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



ing only one blossom to a shoot. Personally, I hope 

 they never get that far ; rather would I welcome a system 

 of culture which will get awav from the single stem prin- 

 ciple and tend towards the old-fashioned hedge, but pro- 

 ducing flowers as large and as handsome as those pro- 

 duced on single stemmed plants. 



Abstract from paper read by F. G. Cuthbcrtson, of San Francisco, before 

 the American Sweet Pea Society at New York. 



PLANTING PEONIES. 



The peony is easy to grow, hardy everywhere without 

 protection, and free from diseases and insect enemies. 

 The flowers, which include white, yellow and every shade 

 from flesh pink to deepest niaronn, are large and showy 

 without being coarse. Once established, peonies are per- 

 manent — large clumps have been flourishing and bloom- 

 ing regularly in old gardens for a quarter of a century 

 with no attention whatever. 



The peony family is divided into two general sections 

 — the Peony officinalis, or herbaceous, and the Peony 

 Moutan, tree or shrub peony, both of which are hardy. 

 The former is the one that has been grown in the gar- 

 dens of Europe and America for centuries, and is the 

 forerunner of the present-day hybrids; the latter is an 

 importation from Japan, where it is also grown in pots. 



The herbaceous are single, semi-double and double ; the 

 Japanese family has a semi-double cup, in the center of 

 which is a mass of petaloids, generally of a contrasting 

 color or shade. 



Culture of the peony is comparatively simple, but for 

 success two things must be kept in mind : It will not 

 thrive in the shade or in a wet. undrained location. In 

 locating a border or hedge of peonies look to the future 

 as to shade. Give them the open border where they will 

 have full sunshine. As a low hedge they fill every re- 

 quirement if sufficient width is to be had. 



As the peony is a permanent planting it should have 

 a permanent bed or border. Dig to a depth of not less 

 than eighteen inches and fill the trench with good garden 

 soil — soil from an old garden that has been kept in a 

 high state of cultivation is the best — the peony will not 

 tolerate fresh manure. 



If the subsoil is naturally well drained, no artificial 

 drainage will be needed, but if it is of tough or sticky 

 clay, or hardpan, a layer of drainage material consisting 

 of broken stone or coarse cinders should be put in the 

 bottom of the trench. 



Peonies may be planted either in late summer or 

 spring. Do not advise late fall planting. If it is not 

 convenient to plant in the spring as soon as the soil can 

 be worked, postpone planting until the first week of 

 August so the plants will make root growth before win- 

 ter sets in. In taking up and dividing the peony, most 

 of the small fibrous roots are lost, and the plant should 

 have an opportunity to replace some of these before it is 

 subjected to the rigors of winter. 



The question as to when to divide clumps of peonies is 

 one for each gardener to decide, as it depends upon soil, 

 climate and cultivation. It is safe to say that in the gar- 

 den under the most intensive culture they will not need 

 it in less than four years — the average is si.x. Aiier a 

 year, when the flowers have shown a lack of brilliancy 

 or size it is safe to divide the clumps if they have not 

 been touched within five or six years ; the flowers are 

 usually the best indicators. 



When dividing take up the whole plant and remove 

 not less than three "eyes" to a division, avoiding loss of 

 roots and bruising as far as possible. Mulch through 



the winter with leaves, straw, or well-rotted manure, and 

 remove the mulch early in spring. 



Frequently peonies do not throw typical blooms the 

 first blooming season ; the finest double ones may then 

 give single or semi-double blossoms. It is not until the 

 third blooming season that one can look for the most 

 satisfactory results from the peony — no matter what the 

 culture has been. — Country Life. 



AURICULAS FROM SEED. 



The enthusiastic grower of Auriculas will be anxious 

 to raise some seedlings, and at this season, when these 

 beautiful flowers are appearing, a short note on the sub- 

 ject may be useful, for a man is not worthy of the name 

 of florist if he does nothing in the way of seedling-raising 

 to improve the flowers he cultivates. 



The selection of parents is very important, and only 

 the best varieties should be crossed. It is also advisable 

 to mate a green-edged variety with another belonging to 

 the same group ; selfs should be crossed with selfs, and 

 so on ; while among the alpines the yellow-centered forms 

 should be crossed together, and this remark also applies 

 to the white and cream centered kinds. Having selected 

 an Auricula which it is intended to use as the mother 

 plant, the anthers must be removed with a pair of sharp- 

 pointed scissors before the pollen is distributed. When 

 performing this operation, hold the plant in such a posi- 

 tion that none of the pollen cases falls down the tube. 

 After two or three days the stigma of the prepared flow- 

 ers may be dusted over with pollen from another bloom, 

 using a fine camel-hair brush to convey the pollen. The 

 seed should be sown directly it is ripe, viz., about July and 

 August, in seed-pans or ordinary flower pots. These are 

 filled one-third of their depth with drainage, and the 

 usual potting compost employed. Germination is some- 

 times rather slow, and after pricking off the first batch 

 the seed-pans may still be retained, because other seed- 

 lings will eventually appear. When the young plants 

 have made their first leaf after the two seed leaves, they 

 can be pricked ofif at the rate of about a dozen in a 3-inch 

 pot. As growth advances they should be placed three in 

 a similar sized receptacle, and at the ne.xt potting one in 

 a pot. while a 33^-inch or 4-inch will be large enough for 

 their final move. It usually takes about eighteen months 

 for a seedling to reach its full size. A suitable rooting 

 medium consists of good fibrous loam two parts, leaf- 

 mould one part, and decayed cow-manure one part, which 

 ought to be well mixed three weeks or so before it is 

 required. — E.vclmuge. 



PROGRESSIVE CURIOSITY. 



A hen stood on the garden lot. 



Whence all but her had fled. 

 And didn't leave a planted spot 



In the early onion bed. 

 With vim she worked, both feet and legs, 



And the gardener says he bets. 

 She was trying to find the kind of eggs 



On which the onion sets. 



OUR COVER ILLUSTRATION. 



The illustration on the front cover is a reproduction 

 of a photograph by William H. Waite, which shows an 

 avenue of stately elms on Broadway, Yonkers, lining 

 either side of "Greystone," the estate over which Mr. 

 Waite presides. The propertv fmnts on both sides of 

 the avenue. 



