THE BOOK OF THE PEONY 



tracted more attention in Europe than the peonies. 

 . . . Most of the varieties are extremely splendid 

 and others possess striking peculiarities. Antici- 

 pating that a similar taste would be evinced in 

 this country, the proprietor has, by a great exer- 

 tion, obtained every variety possible from Europe 

 and also a number from China." He lists forty 

 kinds containing a great diversity of shades and 

 colours. The prices range from fifty cents to 

 twenty dollars, but most of the plants are quoted 

 under two dollars. 



An elaborate botanical work published in 

 1846-1850— The American Flora, by Dr. A. B. 

 Strong — contains coloured plates and descrip- 

 tions of P. officinalis, P. peregrina, P. edulis 

 Reevesiana and P. Russi, all of varying degrees 

 of red and magenta. I say " of varying degrees " 

 advisedly: the plates were coloured by hand and 

 I am credibly informed no two of them were 

 alike ! 



The introduction of a number of varieties of 

 the species of P. albiflora, which occurred about 

 1850, caused an increase in the popularity of the 

 peony in this country. The merits of this type — 

 fragrance, great hardiness, erect habit of growth, 



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