FOR THE HOME BEAUTIFUL 113 



THE GORGEOUS, FRAGRANT PEONY 



THE Peony is an ancient flower, a native of 

 Siberia and southern Europe, and cherished cen- 

 turies ago by the Japanese for the supposed 

 medicinal value of its roots. 



Almost 1,500 years ago this flower was known 

 to the Chinese, and the finest specimens were 

 planted in the emperor's gardens, and for over a 

 thousand years the Japanese have grown the 

 Peony. 



Finally they were introduced into England, and 

 from there into France, where the real improve- 

 ment in this remarkable flower began, and Mons. 

 Lemoine, a Frenchman, is probably the leading 

 originator of choice new varieties in the world. 



The first Peonies that we knew were those of our 

 grandmother's garden, small and rather rank in 

 odor, and even today when the Peony is mentioned, 

 often the thought reverts to this old type, rather 

 than to the modern Peony, large in size, gorgeously 

 beautiful, and many of them extremely fragrant. 



It is only in comparatively recent years that any 

 marked and decided improvement in the Peony 

 began, but it has come, and what a wonderful 

 change there has been in the attitude of the public 

 toward this lovely flower. Many flower lovers are 



