SEPTEMBER: FOURTH WEEK 245 



2>^" below the surface. While the peonies are sufficiently 

 hardy to require no protection, the mulch which is applied 

 to the mixed border will do no injury. And for the first 

 season after planting, a mulch which may be of manure, 

 is advisable, as it protects the soil from the heaving some- 

 times produced by alternate freezing and thawing. The 

 peony is one of the grossest feeders of all the garden flowers 

 and the soil can scarcely be made too rich before planting 

 or too much manure or fertilizer used thereafter. 



Twelve of the best varieties are Festiva Maxima, a giant 

 white; Couronne d'Or, white with yellow and carmine; 

 Duchesse de Nemours, sulphur white; Modeste Gurin, bright 

 rose pink; Marie Lemoine, sulphur white, late blooming; 

 Felix Crousse, brilliant red; Eugene Verdier, flesh pink; Del- 

 icatissima, delicate, light pink; Mons. Jules Elie, flesh pink; 

 Madame Calot, early flowering pink; Mme. de Verneville, 

 sulphur white with white center; La Tulipe, very large flower 

 shading to white; and M. Krelage. A few plants also of the 

 old Peonia Officialis should also be used as these bloom some 

 two weeks earlier than the varieties named above. 



The Iridescent, International Iris 



One of the best old-fashioned garden flowers was the iris, 

 or blue flag, or fleur-de-lis. The clumps of blue flags in the 

 front yards of old farm homes always give a fine air of dis- 

 tinction. 



These old-fashioned irises were mostly of the type known 

 in the catalogues as German iris. There are literally thou- 

 sands of varieties on the market, representing the newest 

 and best fashions. In colors they show almost every shade 

 of blue, yellow and red, with some pretty fair whites. 



The blues are the best known and probably the most 

 effective; but the yellows are also desirable. The reds are 

 not so popularly distributed, but deserve much more 

 general planting. They run mostly toward dull brownish 

 and coppery shades, very rich and pleasing. 



These German irises thrive in any good garden soil 



