104 ON THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF THE TREE PCEONY. 



some ; but these names seem to have been soon dropped. Moutan 

 is a Chinese word for this particular variety of Pceony, which was 

 introduced by Sir Joseph Banks from China, in 1794 ; but, 

 although introduced then, for the first time, it had been long known 

 by hearsay — its beauty had been extolled, and its magnificence 

 exaggerated. At first, £100 was thought a fair price for it ; and 

 in China, plants of the choice sorts were sold at a high price. It 

 is a nmst magnificent plant, and valuable — as, with the protec- 

 tion of a wall or hedge, or even wicker-work, it will flower 



. profusely in April, May, and June, and stand our winters. The 

 'difficulty of propagating it with success occasions it to be sold -at 



■tjrflvhigh price. P. papavcracea generally costs from 15s. to 20s. 

 the single plant. 



mo'OTo those who are desirous of propagating this handsome plant, 

 I recommend the following operations, all of which I have tried, 

 and very generally with success : — When the Pceonies are bud- 

 ding (that is to say, about February), a ring of bark, about one- 

 sixteenth of an inch wide, should be cut out all round the stem, 

 above and below each bud on the stem or stems of the plant to be 

 operated upon. The sap being obstructed in this manner, lay the 

 branches, leaving the leading shoot at the end only above the 

 ground. Five or six months after, the buds will be seen to have 

 made vigorous shoots. The earth may then he removed, and each 

 bud, with its fibres, separated from the main layer by taking the 

 shoot off with half the stem attached to it. The whole length of 

 the stem being still entire, it may be replaced in the earth again ; 

 and a fresh set of young shoots, more plentiful than the first, may 

 be expected. 



I have also tried grafting with success. The operation is the 

 same as with Dahlias — namely, a portion of the stem is inserted 

 into one of the tubers of the same, or any other variety of Pceony. 

 Cuttings will also strike in light rich soil, in the shade, without 

 cover ; but I have never been very successful in that mode of 

 propagating this plant. If they are inserted into the soil about 

 three inches below the surface, and plunged in a slight hotbed, 

 they will soon show themselves above the ground, and make fine 

 plants ; but it is always a practice with me, to plant only one-half 

 of the stem, splicing it longitudinally. 



Uv tin sc various ways, this beautiful plant may he propagated 



