September, 1916. 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



Plan Now For Paeonies Next Year 



221 



WHO of US do not recall with 

 Marm affection the "Piney" 

 of our grandmother's garden, 

 with its wealth of magnificent red 

 bloom. For many years this grand 

 flower shared the fate of most of its 

 contemporaries and dropped in popular 

 favor. But here, as elsewhere, "virtue 

 alone stands fast," and the inherent 

 qualities of this flower under the law 

 of the survival of the fittest, not only 

 saved it from extinction, but are to- 

 day bringing it into its own. This 

 superb flower will soon occupy the 

 high place in public esteem that nature 

 designed it should. Its hardiness and 

 ease of culture, its sweet, delicious fra- 

 grance, its manifold grand forms, its 

 multiplicitj' of tints and colors — in one 

 word, its gorgeous display for years 

 — insure for it a high place in the es- 

 teem of flower lovers for all time to- 

 come. 



The catalogue of paeonies is large, 

 over one thousand varieties being 

 listed. A solid phalanx of paeonies, 

 ten or fifteen acres in extent, contain- 

 ing over twenty-five thousand plants, 

 embracing all the shades and colors 

 known, is a sight long to be remem- 

 bered, and one calculated to kindle 

 within the soul of the most callous a 

 more fitting degree of appreciation. 

 As a cut flower at weddings and other 

 ultra fashionable gatherings the 

 paeony is becoming the rival of the 

 carnation and the rose. Many grow- 



C. Mortimer Bezzo, Kitchener, Ont. 



ers place the buds in cold storage and 

 bring them into bloom as late as 

 August for these special fetes. 



A nice paeony garden can be had at 

 a very moderate cost, as the better 

 grades of plants can be bought for 25 

 cents up to $1.00 a piece. Occasionally 

 one hears of a record price being paid 

 for a plant, as a few years ago some 

 one paid one thousand dollars for a 

 plant of the Jenny Lind — a fine pink 

 variety. 



The paeony, like the rose, is very 

 particular about the location, and the 

 kind of soil in which it grows. It 

 should never be planted among shrub- 

 bery or trees, or on the north side of 

 a building, as plenty of sunlight and 

 air are necessary to get the best re- 

 sults. If planted in the border around 

 the house do not plant too close to the 

 wall, but allow plenty of room for per- 

 fect development. Two feet at least 

 should be given as the plant will grow 

 and spread rapidly. 



To have this plant come anywhere 

 near its best it must be planted in a 

 good stiff clay soil. As the paeony 

 under proper treatment will live and 

 bloom and increase in beauty every 

 year for many years, it pays to prop- 

 erly prepare the soil at the outset. Sep- 

 tember is the time to plant, but where 

 it is possible the bed should be pre- 

 pared in the spring or early summer, or 

 as long before planting as possible. 

 When barnyard manure is used this 



A wealth of bloom in the garden of T. H. Wadland, Hamilton, Ont. 



early pi-eparation affords a better op- 

 portunity for the fertilizing element to 

 become thoroughly decomposed and 

 assimilated with the soil. In any event 

 have a sufficient quantity of properly 

 prepared soil to surround the plant to 

 a depth of several inches at the time of 

 planting, so that the new roots will not 

 come in contact with the fresh fertil- 

 izer. The soil should be dug to a depth 

 of eighteen inches to two feet, thor- 

 oughly jnixing in manure in proportion 

 of one part manure and two-thirds 

 soil. If the soil is light and sandy re 

 move part of it and replace with the 

 same quantity of clay. 



Where well rotted manure cannot be 

 obtained use pure bonemeal or bone- 

 meal and potash. Where manure or 

 pure bonemeal is used a two-inch layer 

 of hardwood ashes, mixed thoroughly 

 through the soil, will be a great help. 

 Have the bed slightly raised so that 

 water will drain away during the win- 

 ter and early spring. 



As before stated September or Octo- 

 ber are the months in Avhich to plant 

 the paeony, although it may be done 

 any time between the period of the 

 completion and its annual growth, 

 which is about the last of August, and 

 the starting of new growth early in 

 the spring. There is great risk in 

 moving this plant after new growth 

 has once commenced, and this should 

 never be done except in cases of abso- 

 lute necessity. At the time of planting, 

 if the ground is dry, give it thorough 

 watering. The soil for the first year 

 after planting should be kept moist at 

 all times, but never wet. 



Early each spring when new growth 

 is making its appearance loosen the 

 surface soil to a depth of several 

 inches for a foot around the plant. 

 Repeat this after each rain or water- 

 ing as soon as the soil is dry enough 

 for the purpose, and keep it loose and 

 fine throughout the summer. If there 

 is danger of frost after the buds have 

 formed protect them with bliinkets, 

 boxes or barrels, or anything that will 

 answer the purpose. 



If dry weather sets in before the 

 time of blooming give plenty of water. 

 The paeony during the blooming period 

 will consume a tremendous amount of 

 water. Keep the surface of the bed 

 level around the plant so that all water 

 will be utilized. Just before the buds 

 make their appearance give liquid fer- 

 tilizer and give it once a week until 

 they arc in full bloom. 



If extra large bloom is desired re- 

 move about one-third of the buds as 

 soon as they appear. If the bloom is 

 desired for cut flower purposes the 



