ON THE CULTIVATION OF THE MOUTAN PEONY IN ENGLAND. 229 
lar sport of Gloxinia, in which several, sometimes five, petaloid reflexed bodies were 
developed outside the flower-tube. It was saidto be a permanent monstrosity ; and 
had been previously observed. 
INGHORN, Richmond.— 4 zaleas : ochroleuca, i-double greenish white 
rom Mr. 
and Jessie, salmon-colour edged with white 
From Mr. Treen, Rugby.—A stand of 24 cut Verbenas. ; 
m Mr. Нотлдмо, gardener to R. W. Peake, Esq., Isleworth.—A uricula Alabama, 
edged variety, chiefly remarkable for its full, broad, rounded, but too much 
gments. Pelargo ith 
marked with a broad zone of dar It was considered to resemble too closely 
the variety called Mrs. Milford. 
From Мг. Westcott, Dulwich House Gardens.—Cinerarias : Lucy Harley and Bride- 
groom, varieties of no merit. 
From Mr. Watson, St. Alban’s—Dracena Veitchii, and a form called serratifolia, 
from New Zealand. 
From Mr. Burr.— TAuja occidentalis globosa, a dwarf round-massed form of Arbor 
Vite, in the way of, but not thought equal to, that called compacta. Petunia Presi- 
veiny lilac. Раатдотитз: Radiancy, Spark, Favourite, Brilliancy, Lauretta, 
d Rosette, all good-formed and showy sorts, but being young plants flowered in small 
und , it was thought that they should be more fully tested in the open 
ground before an opinion was upon them. e first-named was remarkably 
good-looking, both as to form and colour, a deep rich crimson scarlet. 
XLIII—ON THE CULTIVATION OF THE MOUTAN 
PEONY IN ENGLAND. 
By Jawzs Bateman, Esq., of Biddulph Grange. 
So many difficulties attend the cultivation of the different kinds of 
the Chinese Moutan or Tree Peony in England, that few persons have 
any idea of the magnificent effect they are capable of producing. The late 
Lord Mountnorris did more than any other man to render the Moutan 
popular, but he possessed only a few—and these not the best— varieties, as 
contrasted with those that have been more recently introduced; and yet 
these drawbaeks notwithstanding, the appearance of his bed of Tree 
Peonies in flower was a sight that will never be forgotten by those who 
were fortunate enough to witness it 
After Lord Mountüorris's death little notice was taken of the Moutan, 
until the splendid discoveries of Mr. Fortune, when on a mission to China 
in the service of the Horticultural Society, again directed attention to its 
surpassing merits. Having myself received one or two varieties through 
the liberality of the Society, and having obtained others from the Bagshot 
Nursery, I prepared for their accommodation the warmest and most shel- 
tered spot that I could find in my garden at Biddulph Grange; but 
although in this situation they grew freely, I was unable—after ten years’ 
cultivation—to point to more than one season in which they flowered at 
all satisfactorily. For if the summer was cold and wet, their wood was 
imperfectly ripened ; if the winter was peculiarly severe, their constitution 
suffered; or if it was mild, the early growth that it induced was certain to 
lead to mischief from late spring frosts or cutting winds. Then again, 
unless—in addition to a suitable preceding summer and winter—the 
