December, 1912. 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



285 









*^ J^-r. 



A Hydrangea that had over 700 Flower* 



This remarkable hydrangea measured fifteen feet across. • It was photographed early in October in 

 the garden of Mrs. T. Ellery Lord, Hull, Que. 



the house is apt to overwork them by 

 drawing up the moisture through the 

 stems and leaves, f6r dry heated air will 

 take up what moisture it requires from 

 every possible source. Not only your 

 plants but your furniture and woodwork, 

 and even your own body, are levied upon^ 

 In the heating of a moderately-sized 

 house, at least four gallons of water 

 should be evaporated every twenty-four 

 hours, and even with this the humidity 

 will not be greater than fifty-five per 

 cent. When you consider that the hum- 

 idity outdoors on a bright summer day 



is about seventy per cent., you will ap- 

 preciate what an unnaturally dry at- 

 mosphere we have in our homes in win- 

 ter, where, if any water is evaporated 

 at all, it will be but a few quarts at most, 

 with a resultant humidity of perhaps 

 eighteen to twenty-flve per cent. 



By all means, both for your own good 

 as well as that of your plants, evaporate 

 water freely by keeping a pot or kettle 

 steaming on the heater, or pans on the 

 registers, and do not neglect the furnace 

 water pan. True, it is too small to be 

 of much benefit, but every little counts. 



The Modern Peony* 



J. H. Bennett, 



IT IS only in comparatively recent years 

 that the peony has become popular 

 with horticulturists, and been brought 

 into prominence before the general pub- 

 lic. The reason is not far to seek. To 

 many people the name peony simply re- 

 recalls far-away memories of an old- 

 fashioned garden with its clumps of crim- 

 son peonies or "pineys," whose scent 

 was more pungent than pleasant. But 

 in recent years much more attention has 

 been given to their cultivation and de- 

 velopment, although many of the best 

 varieties have been grown for at least 

 half a century. Still the number of varie- 

 ties has not only increased enormously 

 but through specializing have developed 

 in size, color and fragrance, and obtained 

 a popularity which bids fair to dethrone 

 the rose from its sovereign position as 

 "Queen of Flowers." 



The qualities which give the peony its 



•Extract from a tiaper read at the Teoent con- 

 vention in Toronto of the Ontario Horticultural 

 Association. 



Barrie, Ont. 



present popularity with all classes of 

 growers, so much so that it has been fitly 

 termed by one writer or grower, "the 

 flower for the million and the million- 

 aire," may be briefly noted, namely, its 

 beauty, fragrance, the durability of both 

 plants and foliage, its hardiness, its 

 profusion and duration of blooms, and its 

 adaptability and manifold uses. 



BEAUTY AND FEAGEANCE. 



Every one who has grown peonies 

 must have been struck with their won- 

 drous beauty, a beauty, moreover, which 

 is maintained through every stage of 

 their growth, from the moment when thie 

 first glint of color is seen coming through 

 the ground in early spring, almost before 

 the snow has disappeared, the develop- 

 ment of the foliage, the formation of the 

 dark green envelope of the buds, until 

 the blooms are expanded in all their var- 

 ieties of color and beautiful tints, their 

 glorious shape, and exquisite fragrance. 



The peony differs materially from many 



perennials in that it will continue to 

 grow, yielding indeed the very best re- 

 sults each year, without replanting for 

 many years, while the foliage lasts from 

 the day the leal buds show above the 

 soil in spring, until the plant is cut down 

 in preparation for wintering, with an 

 undimmed and unchanging beauty of 

 color. 



The peony stands alone in the quality 

 of hardiness ; it does not ask for protec- 

 tion in even the most severe climate, and 

 has practically an immunity from disease. 



PEOFUSION. 



Every grower rejoices in the profusion 

 of the plant and utilizes it to its fullest 

 extent, the plants being a constant out- 

 burst of color ranging from cream and 

 purest white, through the various shades 

 of pink, lilac, rose and red, to the deep- 

 est carmine, purple and maroon, in every 

 possible combination of shade and form, 

 with flowers varying in size from four to 

 eight inches in diameter, most of them 

 having a delightful fragrance, and fur- 

 nishing immense quantities of bloom 

 from early June well into July. 



No plant is easier to grow ; this, in- 

 deed, is one of its strong points. Often 

 in neglected gardens one sees large 

 clumps of peonies that have flourished 

 and bloomed for years. Yet they amply 

 repay all attention given them. Peonies 

 will thrive in almost any soil, but suc- 

 ceed best in deep, rich, moist clay loam. 

 They are gross feeders, and the soil's 

 fertility should be maintained, but do not 

 use fresh manure. 



An ideal peony bed or border may be 

 made by removing the soil to a depth 

 of two to two and one half feet. If the 

 subsoil is of a porous and loamy nature 

 the depth need not be so great. Over 

 the bottom spread six to eight inches of 

 well rotted cow manure, over this a layer 

 of soil, and mix thoroughly. In this 

 manner fill to six or eight inches above 

 the surface of the ground or lawn. When 

 planting cover the crowns or eyes of 

 roots about three inches, taking care 

 that the earth is well firmed about the 

 roots, and allowing a circle of two and 

 one half to three feet for future develop- 

 ment of the plant. A mulch of coarse 

 strawy manure is a benefit, particularly 

 the first winter. 



WINTER CAEE. 



The first and second year give the 

 plants good care, keeping the soil well 

 stirred during the early part of the sea- 

 son, allowing no weeds to grow. The 

 third year the plants will sufficiently cover 

 the ground, so less attention will be nec- 

 essary. In late fall the tops may be cut 

 off several inches above the soil, and 

 thrown back with several inches of coarse 

 manure as a winter mulch. 



To cultivate a garden is to walk with 

 God. — Bc>vee. 



