P^OXJA 



P.EONIA 



1189 



Peonies are rarely attacked by any insect, animal or 

 fungous disease, neither do they require any covering 

 during the severest weather: in fact, they are among 

 the most hardy, showy, and easily grown of all the 

 garden flowers. In delicacy of tint and fragrance, the 

 Peony more nearly approaches the rose than any other 

 dower. The old-fashioned early red "piny," cultivated 

 since the time of Pliny, is still a favorite in our gardens. 

 Nearly all of the one thousand or more named double 

 varieties grown at present have been obtained by cross- 

 ing the various forms of P. albiflora and officinalis. In 

 1855 only 24 double kinds were known in one of the best 

 collections in England. The single-flowering sorts are not 

 so popular as the double ones, for they do not keep as 

 long when cut and fade more rapidly when on the plant. 



Soil. Peonies grow in all kinds of soil, but do best 

 in a deep, rich, rather moist loam. A clay subsoil, if 

 well drained, is very beneficial when blooms are desired, 

 but the tubers ramify more in lighter soil if grown for 

 propagating purposes. In preparing the bed trench the 

 soil thoroughly two or more feet deep, working in a 

 great quantity of good rich cow manure, as the plants 

 are gross feeders. The ground should be kept well 

 tilled, and an annual top-dressing put above the plants 

 in November; this should be forked into the soil the 

 next spring. Peonies should have a liberal supply of 

 water at all times, and especially while in bloom. 

 Liquid manure, when applied during the growing sea- 

 son and at a time when the ground is dry, gives good 

 returns, both in the growth of the plant and size of the 

 bloom. 



Planting. The crowns should be set 2 inches below 

 the surface. In transplanting, it is a good idea to re- 

 move all the old earth so as to start with fresh, unirn- 

 poverished soil next to the roots. The flowers produced 

 on small divided plants are likely to be imperfect, but 

 when thoroughly established a plant will continue to 

 bloom if undisturbed for upwards of twenty years. 

 During the period of blooming an inconspicuous wire 

 support is desirable, as a heavy rain often beats down 

 the flowers. 



Grouping. The host of ancient and modern varieties 

 available, ranging from purest white to deepest crim- 



ranges from tne middle of May through the month of 

 June. They grow from 1-3 feet high, and are therefore 

 suitable for planting in front of shrubbery, along drive- 

 ways, and are especially pleasing when entering into a 

 distant vista. When planted in a border with f all-bloom- 



1615. Single Peony 



son, in such a diversity of form and size, afford great 

 opportunity for the carrying out of extensive color 

 schemes. Peonies do well in partial shade, which pro- 

 longs and intensifies the color of the bloom, and there- 

 fore can be used to advantage to brighten up somber 

 nooks. The period of blooming for herbaceous Peonies 



1616. Peeonia albiflora. 



ing perennials, such as phlox, funkia, etc., their rich 

 glossy foliage is very effective. 



forcing. Lift the plants in October and place in a 

 coldframe where they will be accessible when the time 

 for forcing arrives. When brought under glass, a uni- 

 form temperature of 55 to 60 should be maintained. 

 By feeding well with liquid manure, strong blooms can 

 be produced in eight weeks. A two-years' rest is nec- 

 essary for the plants before being forced again. To 

 secure extra fine blooms on double-flowering varieties, 

 remove the lateral buds as soon as formed. When the 

 first lateral bud is retained instead of the terminal one, 

 a later period of blooming is obtained. The old flowers 

 should be cut off, so that no unnecessary seed follicles 

 will be formed, and thereby exhaust the plant. It is 

 also important to remove the faded foliage on all Peo- 

 nies in November, so that it may not interfere with the 

 next season's shoots. 



There are three methods by which Peonies are propa- 

 gated : by division of roots (the most prevalent), by 

 grafting, to increase rare sorts, and by seeds, to obtain 

 new varieties. 



Division of Roots. This is the easiest and most sat- 

 isfactory method. The roots may be lifted and divided 

 any time from the middle of August until the stalks 

 appear again in the spring. The best time, however, is 

 in the early fall, when the cut surfaces soon callus 

 over and new rootlets form before the frost sets in. 

 Take a large stool, cut off the leaves and separate into 

 as many divisions as can be made with an eye to each 

 tuber. In digging, care should be taken that all of the 

 tubers are dug up, for if not they may remain dormant 

 a season and then produce a shoot, giving rise to the 

 many stray plants which are frequently found in old 

 beds. Tubers divided without an eye should also be 

 planted, as they often act in a similar manner and make 

 a showing above ground in two years' time. Peonies, 

 like most tuberous plants, when dormant stand con- 

 siderable exposure and can be shipped long distances 

 with safety. 



Grafting. This method is resorted to in herbaceous 

 Peonies when new and rare varieties are to be rapidly 

 increased. An eye of the desired sort is inserted into 

 the tuber of some strong-growing variety, from which 

 all the previous eyes have been removed. This opera- 

 tion is generally performed in August. They should be 

 placed in frames for the winter and transplanted the 

 next year into nursery rows. 



Seeds. Propagating by seed is somewhat tedious, 

 and is only resorted to for increasing distinct species 

 and for obtaining new varieties by hybridization. The 

 seeds should be gathered as soon as ripe and kept damp 

 until sown in November. A mulch during the first sea- 

 son will keep the ground moist and prevent weeds from 

 growing. Generally two years are required for the seed 

 to germinate and three more before a well-developed 

 bloom can be expected. \VM. A. PF.TF.RSON. 



