CHAP. I. RANUNCULA‘CEX. PHO'NIA. 2558 
Exotica, p. 862.) In Britain the tree peony is propagated by seeds, by divi- 
sion of the root, by grafting, by summer budding, by layers, by cuttings, and 
by single winter buds. 
Seeds. These are occasionally ripened by plants bearing single or semi- 
double flowers. Mr. Curtis finds that seeds are produced by P. M. papa- 
veracea in abundance. In England, plants were first raised in this way from 
P. M. papaveracea, at Arley Hall, the seat of the Earl of Mount Norris. They 
have since been raised at several other places; and, among these, at Glazen- 
wood, where the seeds are sown as soon as gathered in the autumn, and while 
some of them vegetate in the following spring, many of them remain a year 
or more before they come up. At Hinchingbrook, it was found that the seeds 
did not germinate till eighteen months after sowing. (Bot. Reg.,1771.; Gard. 
Mag., xi. p. 418.) 
Division of the Root. This operation is so simple, that it is unnecessary to 
describe it. When the wounds made are large, it may be advisable to sear 
them, or to cover them with grafting wax. It is necessary, for the success of 
each divided portion of the main root, that some fibrous roots should be 
attached to it when taken off. 
Grafting. This operation is performed on the roots of herbaceous peonies, 
at any time from the beginning of September to the middle of March. Select 
some good tubers of P. officinalis, or of any other hardy herbaceous kind, and 
take off cuttings of P. Mottan papaveracea, or any other tree peony that it is 
desired to increase. Then slit the tuber from the crown downwards about two 
inches ; form the scion like a wedge; insert it into the slit of the tuber, and 
make the barks fit on one side as exactly as possible; then bind them well 
together with strands of good bast matting; over which put one turn of brass 
wire, to prevent the parts from separating after the strands of bast have de- 
cayed. Put the tubers into pots deep enough to allow the mould to cover the 
top of each tuber; set them in a cold frame or pit ; keep them close, rather dry, 
and defended from the sun during the first month, and from frost during winter. 
When they have perfected one season’s growth, turn them out, and treat them 
like established plants. (Gard. Mag., iii. p.293.) We are not aware of any 
ligneous variety of peony having been grafted on any other variety of ligneous 
eony. 
7 Budding. This mode, it is stated by Kaempfer, as quoted above, is prac- 
tised by the Chinese, which is the more remarkable, as grafting is said to 
have been unknown to that people till lately. We do not doubt its prac- 
ticability, though we have never seen it tried. 
By Layers. These are made of wood of the preceding year’s growth, 
either in autumn or spring; and tongued and pegged firmly under the soil, 
between 2in. and 3in. They will throw down roots the first year; but it is 
generally found desirable, to let them remain two years before separating them 
from the stool. When they are taken off, they should be potted, and kept in 
pots till wanted for final planting. 
By Ringing, by Buds, and by Cuttings.. The following directions for these 
modes’of propagation are taken from Maund’s Botanic Garden :—* In February 
select any of the stems of the Padnia Moitan, or all may be used ; and, at 
the distance of half an inch from the centre of each bud, both above and below 
it, cut out entirely round the stem a small ring of the bark, rather more than 
the sixteenth of an inch wide, in the manner of common ringing, as practised 
on fruit trees. Thus every bud will occupy one inch of the stem, where the 
direct continuation of the bark is obstructed, both above and below, by the 
rings which have been cut out of it. The stems, so prepared, are then to be 
laid horizontally about 3 in. beneath the soil, leaving only the leading bud at 
the end of each branch above the surface. In six months every bud will have 
made a vigorous shoot, and, in general, will have two radical fibres at its base. 
In August, remove the soil from above the layers ; and, having raised the newly 
made roots, carefully separate each young shoot from the main layer, by pass- 
ing a small knife from one ring to the other, cutting out about one third part 
of the old stem. The young plants should then be immediately potted, to 
