OS THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF THE TREE PCEONY. 103 



the tubers may be planted upon it, in six rows, six inches apart 

 from root to root : this distance is absolutely necessary, to allow 

 room for their fine flowers to expand and show themselves. Cover 

 each tuber with a little white sand, and fill the bed level with the 

 surface with light sandy loam ; compact the surface with the back 

 of the spade. Protect them from heavy rains, or severe frost, by 

 straw mats, supported from the surface of the bed by a wooden 

 frame, made like the roof of a house ; but do not continue this 

 covering only when absolutely necessary, as nothing is so hurtful 

 to them as confined air. Shade them with an awning from sun 

 and rain when in full bloom, and give them rain-water every other 

 day, poured between the rows. As soon as the bloom is over, 

 BSfl to give water, and admit all the sun possible, but not a drop 

 of rain — as the quicker vegetation is destroyed, the better will be 

 the bloom next season. Take up the roots as soon as the grass 

 dies down. They will answer nearly as well grown in 32-sized 

 pots, using the same compost, and plunging the pots in cinder- 

 dust. They are a cheap flower. All the best sorts under name 

 may be had of Mr. Groom, florist, Walworth, at about 10s. 6d. 

 per dozen. Innovator. 



ARTICLE IV.— On the History and Culture of the Tree 

 Pojony. By An Ardent Amateur. 



P) i ony belongs to Polyandria, Digynia — Linn. ; Ranunculaceue, 

 nat. ord. P. officinalis has been in this country ever since 1562 : 

 it is a native of Switzerland. P. corallina is a native of this 

 country ; but the only place where, to my knowledge, it is found 

 wild, is the Flat Holmes, a rocky island in the Bristol Channel, 

 which, l>v-the-bve, is noted for its natural productions. Pliny 

 Mentions the Peony as one of the first known plants, and that it 

 ailed after POSOV, a physician, who is mentioned by Homer, 

 in bil Iliad, ~>\h hook, 000th line, when MaRS had been wounded : 



" Thus he who shakes Olympus with his nod, 



" Than gave to I'ucon's care the bleeding god: 



" With gentle hand the balm he pour'd around, 



"And bttl'd th' iiinnurtul lUsh, and clos'd the wound." 



1'i.iM also says, that it was called Pentoberan and Glycisidei* by 



