THE BOOK OF THE PEONY 



in the manure may produce too great leaf growth 

 at the expense of flowers. A mixture consisting 

 of two ounces of phosphoric acid and two ounces 

 of muriate of potash placed around a plant in the 

 Autumn in a circle of the same size as the circle 

 formed by the outside leaves of the plant, will 

 be of considerable benefit without incurring any 

 danger of injury to the roots. This quantity is 

 recommended for a clump four or five years old : 

 the exact amount in each case depends upon the 

 size and condition of the roots and the available 

 general fertility of the soil. Since potash has be- 

 come so scarce on account of the war, I have been 

 using a mixture of bone meal (four ounces) and 

 wood ashes (six ounces) with apparently excel- 

 lent results. It is desirable to make the applica- 

 tion during the Autumn just before a rain. The 

 fertiliser should be lightly dug in with a small 

 hand fork. 



Supports 



The original P. albiflora in Siberia was prob- 

 ably not beaten down by the rain. Some captious 

 critics of the peony complain because the flower 

 of to-day — bred solely for size and beauty — needs 

 support. Every attainment is apt to have its 



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