with a description of most of the Species and Varieties. 291 



following spring the young plants will make their appearance. 

 They should be allowed to stand in the seed bed about three 

 years, after which they may be removed to the places in the 

 flower border, where they are to remain, to produce bloom, 

 which they generally do in the fifth year, when their character 

 can be ascertained, and the expectations of the cultivator real- 

 ized, by, perhaps, the opening of one or two, out of a number, 

 superb double varieties. 



Propagation. — This consists in merely separating the roots, 

 reserving a good eye to each; any root, however small, will 

 grow, provided it has a bud attached to it, otherwise it will pro- 

 bably not. The best time for dividing the roots is the month of 

 September; they may then be removed with safety; and if the 

 roots are of a tolerable size, and have a /tt//, prominent, bud at- 

 tached, they will flower the following season. They may also 

 be removed in the early part of the month of April, with suc- 

 cess, so as to bloom the same season, but September is the best 

 time. 



Cultivation. — In almost any soil or situation they will grow, 

 but we have found them to produce the largest flowers in a rich, 

 deep, loamy soil, not too retentive of moisture; a partially shaded 

 aspect is also more favorable to the production of good flowers 

 than a sunny one; they likewise remain in perfection a longer 

 time. They are all perfectly hardy, and need no protection of 

 any kind. One thing should be borne in mind, to remove the 

 roots every three or four years, at the same time separating 

 them, as the flowers will not be so large and fine when the roots 

 get grown together in a mass. 



Pseonies force very well, and where there is green-house, with 

 plenty of room, and a quantity of spare roots, a number of plants 

 may be potted. The only labor is to put two or three good 

 tubers, with n prominent eye attached, into a pot (about number 

 six,) of rich loamy soil, in the month of October: from this 

 time till January the ])lants may remain in a cool place, free from 

 frost, when they" should be taken into the green-house, and set in 

 a cool, rather shady situation, but where they will have the bene- 

 fit of the fresh air admitted to the house; this will prevent their 

 being drawn up; and a fine display of blossoms will be the re- 

 sult. After the plants have flowered the roots may be turned 

 into the border, where they will recover their strength. 



The species and varieties that we have enumerated in this ar- 

 ticle embrace nearly all, we believe, that have been introduced to 

 England; and those who are desirous of adding all the kinds to their 

 collections, will find an account of every new one, should there 

 be any raised from seed, or imported from China, under our head 

 of Floricultural Notices; we shall be happy to learn that experi- 

 ments will be tried by our amateurs to produce new varieties. 



