On the herbaceous PcBonies. 283 



known fact, but the peculiar manner in which electricity acts up- 

 on the clouds, or the exact manner in which they must be situ- 

 ated, in order that hail shall be produced, does not yet appear to 

 us to be clearly demonstrated. That, however, the electric 

 fluid is a necessary agent in the production of hail in summer, 

 we can scarcely doubt; and the claims of the paragrele or hail 

 rod appear so well established, that we do not hesitate to recom- 

 mend strongly the use of so valuable a means of protection in all 

 parts of the Union liable to frequent or destructive hail storms. 



A. J. D. 



Mwburgh, J\\ F., July 15, 1837. 



Art. II. Some Remarks on the herbaceous Pceonies, together 

 with a description of most of the Species and Varieties, and a 

 few observations upon their Propagation^ Cultivation, 4'^- ^Y 

 the Conductor. 



In our last volume, pp. 335 and 367, we gave an account of 

 the tree peonies, describing all the species and varieties, with 

 their mode of propagation, cultivation, &c., and it was our in- 

 tention at the time to have added some observations upon the 

 herbaceous species and varieties; but the extreme length to 

 which that article was extended, embracing everything in relation 

 to the tree pasonies, and an enumeration of every known species 

 or variety, up to the time it was written, prevented us from say- 

 mg anything respecting the herbaceous ones. We have there- 

 fore thought that an account of them would not be unacceptable 

 at the present time: we believe that very httle is known about 

 the majority of the species and varieties, and as cultivators are 

 about adding many of the tribe to their collections, our remarks 

 may probably serve as a guide to a better selection of those 

 which are truly beautiful and desirable. 



The pffiony, though its flowers are of short duration, is one of 

 the most gorgeous tribes in the vegetable kingdom, and contri- 

 butes more to the splendor of the garden, in the spring and early 

 summer months, than any other family whatever : preceding the 

 beautiful and fragrant rose in its season of blooming, and the 

 latest species and varieties shedding their faded flowers just as 

 the former begin to open, they expand at a time, when, if we 



