account 
Chinese 
tt 
Moutan seem to be perfectly understood 
Cliinese at Shangl 
it 
In the beginning of October, large quantities of the roots of a herbaceous Pseony * are seen 
Moutan 
The bundle of tubers which forms the root of a herbaceous Paeony is pulled to pieces, and each of 
the finger-like rootlets forms a stock upon which the Moutan is destined to be grafted. Having 
thrown a large number of these rootlets upon the potting bench, the scions are then brought from 
the plants which it is desirable to increase. Each scion used is not more than an inch and a half or 
two inches in length, and is the point of a shoot formed during the bvsrone summer. Its base is cut 
crown of the fin 
This is tied 
up or clayed round in the usual way, and the operation is completed. W. 
& 
nursery 
rows about a foot and a half apart, and the same distance between the rows. In planting, the bud 
or point of the scion is the only part which is left above ground ; the point between the stock and 
the scion, where the union is destined to take place, is always buried beneath the surface. Kaempfer 
states that the Chinese propagate the Moutan by budding ; but this must have been a mistake, as 
budding is never practised in the country, and is not understood. He was probably deceived by 
the small portion of scion which is employed, and which generally has only a single bud at its apex. 
<c 
autumn 
which one sees in the rows, attest the success which attends the system ; indeed it is rare that a graft 
fails to grow. In about a fortnight the union between the root and the scion is complete, and in the 
following spring the plants are well-established and strong. 
first 
and are rarely later than the second, when they are dug up and taken to the markets for sale in the 
manner I have described. A h 
nurserymen 
In this state it is more saleable ; 
it produces a very large flower, and it is easily dug up and carried to the market. I could always 
OW1I1 
" In the gardens of the Mandarins it is not unusual to meet with the tree Paeony of great si/ 
There was one plant near Shanghae which produced between three and four hundred blooms eve 
year. The proprietor of it was as careful of it as the Tulip fancier is of his bed of Tulips. Wh 
iwn 
awnmir, ana a seat 
* A variety with small single flowers, 
