THKES AND SHRUBS. 73 



arborea 



( Tree Pccoui/). r riie Paeony, even from earliest 

 times, has been connected with legends of all kinds. 

 It was with this flower that Homer tells us that Paeon, 

 the celebrated physician, cured Phito of the wound he 

 had received from Hercules. There is also an old 

 superstition that the Paeony had the power of shining 

 in the dark, and protecting any house it grew near 

 against the evil spirits of the night. The P. arborca 

 is certainly a lovely shrub, and hard to beat in May 

 and June, when its large and beautiful blooms appear 

 in masses like so many huge roses all over the shrub. 

 It prefers a fairly dry soil, but the roots would be 

 benefited by a certain amount of manure, and the early 



' ' 



morning sun should not be allowed to get at them 

 while the frost is still upon them. Among the best 

 varieties are- 



Bcuiite dc Canton, with large lilac flowers. 

 li'ijmi dc Chuxan, with white semi-double flowers. 

 13 i jo 1 1 dc Lactea. with white flowers. 

 Louise Monckilet, with rose-pink flowers. 

 Madame dc l^atry. with rose-pink flowers. 

 Heine Elizabeth, with massive deep rose flowers. 



One can only get new plants by grafting them 

 on to the roots of the herbaceous P. albiflora or P. 

 offidnalis. 



