390 On the herbaceous Posonies, 



though the plants have a preference for a good loamy situation. 

 In a like manner all the species and varieties may be grown as 

 easily as the old red: after a kind has been once purchased it 

 can be increased very rapidly. But as there may be some new 

 beginners who may need a little information respecting their pro- 

 pagation, and as we have something to offer upon raising the 

 plants from seed, we shall conclude this article with the following 

 heads, — Raising new varieties from seed, propagation, and cuhi- 

 vation. 



Raising new varieties from Seed. — It is not a little remarkable 

 that the raising of new varieties of paeonies, among the multitude 

 of plants which have been experimented upon, for that purpose, 

 by English amateurs, gentlemen and nurserymen, has never been 

 tried, or, if practised, has never been attended with success. Of 

 the tree paeonies, though no new seedlings have been obtained, 

 in Britain, superior to the P. J\Iouta7i yar. papaveracea BanksrcB, 

 Lord Mountnorris has raised several which are exceedingly 

 beautiful: the brothers Baumann, of Bolwiller, have also raised 

 some fine ones, equalling, according to their catalogues, any of 

 the varieties. Other attempts have been, and still are, made with 

 the shrubby kinds. But the herbaceous ones have altogether es- 

 caped any notice. We believe that not a single plant has ever 

 been raised; at least, we find no record of such in what works 

 we have had occasion to read. The whole of the above nume- 

 rous list are mostly natives of Siberia and China, and all the 

 fine double ones have been imported from the latter country, and 

 were undoubtedly produced by the Chinese, from seeds, either 

 by accident or by their skill. When, however, the seeds can 

 be so easily gathered, and impregnation so well attended to, we 

 cannot cease to wonder that the herbaceous ones have so long 

 been neglected. We have no hesitation in saying, that were 

 this operation persevered in, and judicious mixtures made, 

 many exceedingly splendid double varieties would be the result. 

 And we cannot here omit to call the attention of our cultivators 

 to the subject, lest they should fall into the same way as their 

 distant friends. Both the double and single ones produce an 

 abundance of seed, and it needs only patience to continue such 

 experiments. When we reflect upon what has been done with the 

 dahlia alone, not to mention the camellia and other plants, we cer- 

 tainly cannot but feel encouraged to proceed. Let a beginning 

 be made at once, and there need be no fear of a rich reward for 

 the pains. 



The seeds are generally ripe in August, and should be imme- 

 diately taken from the plant, and put into paper bags, where they 

 may remain a few days, until a place can be prepared for plant- 

 ing them. Let this also be done, and sow the seeds in drills, 

 covered about half an inch, where they must remain, and in the 



