PEONY LIST. 



INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 



The two chief purposes of the peony investigation are : ( i ) 

 to bring order out of the confusion which exists in regard Lo 

 the names of varieties, and (2) to offer simple but complete 

 and accurate descriptions for the short and unsatisfactory 

 descriptions of the earlier writers. The information 



which is being gathered in connection with this work 

 falls naturally into two classes, viz., that which is gathered from 

 books, periodicals, manuscripts, correspondence, etc., and that 

 which is obtained from direct observation of the plants them- 

 selves. The facts presented in this check-list belong to the first 

 mentioned class. It is intended to publish a later bulletin con- 

 taining all the facts gathered from the plants themselves. 



Every blooming season, scores of new seedlings receive 

 names, many of which instead of being new have already 

 been used over and over again with increasing confusion. This 

 check-list should act as a guide to prevent mistakes of this kind 

 in future. It should also. serve as a standard for spelling in 

 peony nomenclature. The spelling of the varietal names of 

 peonies is surely in a distressingly bad condition. An average 

 list received by us from a well known peony grower contained 

 104 names, 30 of which were incorrectly spelled. In nearly 

 every case in this check-list the earliest authentic publication has 

 been adopted as the correct spelling. 



This check-list also indicates all those varieties which have 

 been found to be illustrated, the place where the picture may be 

 found, and states whether the illustration is a half-tone or a 

 colored plate. 



The success of an old variety may be estimated to some ex - 

 tent by a study of this list. Old varieties which have been 

 mentioned many times in print and are represented by 



