LIST OF HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS 



75 



STAR OF BETHLE- 



ORNITHOQALUM, L. 



HEM. 



(Liliacece.) 



0, arabicum, L. Mediterranean region, j 

 PL, 1901. Tender. 



*0. narbonense, L. Mediterranean re- 

 gion. 



PL, 1901. Hardy. Ht. 1 to li ft. 

 Fl. white; May 15 to June 12. 



**0. umbellatum, L. Common Star of | 

 Bethlehem. Europe, &c. 



PL, 1901. Hardy. Ht. 1 ft. 



FL white and green striped with 

 white; May 18 to June 12. 



OROBUS, L. = LATHYRUS. 



0. aurantius, Stev. = Vicia aurantia. 



OROBUS FORMOSUS = PISUM FOR- 

 MOSUM. 



OROBUS LATHYROIDES, L. = VICIA 

 OROBOIDES. 



O.luieus, L. Lathyrus montanus. 



OSMORKHIZA, RAFIN. 



(Umbelliferce.) 



0. brevistylis, DC. North America. 

 PL, 1895. Hardy. Ht. 3 ft. FL 

 white; May to June. 



OSTKOWSKIA, REGEL. 



(Campanulacece.) 



0. magnifica, KEGEL. Central Asia. 

 PL, 1897. Tender. 



PACHYSANDRA, MIOHX. 



(Eupliorbiacece.) 

 **P. terminalis, SIEB. & Zucc. Japan. 



PL, 1897. Hardy. Ht. 10 to 12 in. 



Fol. evergreen. 

 P. terminalis fol. var. 

 PL, 1897 Half hardy. 



P^IONIA, L. P^ONY. 

 (Ranunculacece.) 



The paeony is one of the best known hardy herbaceous perennials, and its popu- 

 larity was never greater than it is to-day. During recent years it has been planted 

 much more largely than ever before, and judging by the great interest taken in it at 

 the present time it is likely to remain for a long time one of the most popular flowers. 

 The number of varieties of pseonies now offered for sale is almost unlimited. In ' A 

 Pseony Check List/ by J. E. Coit, published by Cornell University and the American 

 Pseony Society, no less than 2,706 names of pseonies are given, and while many of 

 these are, doubtless, synonyms, it gives some indication of the enormous number of 

 varieties in the trade. 



The original parents of most cultivated varieties of pseonies may be traced to two 

 species, P. albiflora and P. officinalis, the blending of which by cross-breeding having 

 given the good characteristics of both in the seedlings. The re-crossing of the hybrids 

 gave new forms, until now the raising of seedlings of the named varieties results in a 

 wonderful variety of form and colour. From the thousands of seedlings which are 

 grown the best are selected, named and introduced. While these seedlings are easily 

 grown, it takes at least five years from the sowing of the seed before they bloom suffi- 

 ciently to judge of their true merits. Unfortunately many varieties of pseonies are 

 sold under more than one name, which causes confusion to the purchaser. The varie- 

 ties are propagated by dividing the roots, each division of which should have at least 

 one bud. Division and planting are most successfully done early in autumn, about 

 September 1 being a good time. Planted then they make some rootlets before winter, 

 which is important, as if planted late or in the spring they start growing before there 

 are sufficient rootlets and the growth they make the first season is feeble. Pseonies 

 succeed in a great variety of soils, but should have a deep, rich, fairly moist but well 

 drained soil. They succeed best in full sunlight. Before planting the ground should 

 be trenched at least two feet deep, at the same time mixing with it a liberal quantity 

 of rotted barnyard manure. The plants should be set so that the crown will be about 

 two inches below the surface. As the plants eventually become very large and improve 



