THE BOOK OF THE PEONY 



appointing. Divisions from old clumps some- 

 times fail to flower freely. 



Young plants have straight and smooth roots 

 and may be cut up easily and evenly; the older 

 the plant the more difficult is the process of divi- 

 sion. The peony root grows so large and strong 

 that after a few years it often becomes a mass 

 of interlaced fleshy roots. In dividing such roots 

 there is necessarily much waste. Other kinds 

 lend themselves to division much more easily. 

 A few varieties have a way of growing in sep- 

 arate pieces, each piece with a small crown of its 

 own, a characteristic which prevents the develop- 

 ment of a fine large plant. 



The condition and shape of the roots is in- 

 fluenced by the soil in which they have grown. 

 A deep and friable soil will produce straighter 

 roots than a shallow soil underlain with a hard 

 subsoil. One grower of peonies in England states 

 that he has found peony roots in his garden ex- 

 tending down to a distance of three feet. Ex- 

 ploring roots in their search for food are forced 

 to turn and twist when they meet an unyielding 

 subsoil. 



Before lifting the roots which are to be divided, 



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