CONTENTS 



CHAPTER PAGE 



I. An Appreciation of the Peony 13 



II. The Mythology, Ancient and Modern History of the 



Peony 25 



III. Best Varieties and Their Characteristics 69 



IV. Extending the Period of Bloom 103 



V. Purchasing 117 



^^. Where to Plant and How to Prepare the Soil 133 



VII. Planting and Cultivation 149 



YLU. Propagation 173 



IX. The Tree Peony — Description and History 185 



X. Tree Peonies: Cultivation, Propagation and Best 



Varieties 207 



XI. Various Species of the Peony 221 



Appendix 231 



Index 255 



