208 THE GOLD MINE 



Beware of cutting your flowers too close. I have 

 known plants to be killed loy cutting off every flower 

 stem with all the leaves, and others sadly injured. 

 Don't be too greedy. Always leave some foliage to go 

 with the plant through July and August. 



PAEONIES AND INSECTS. 



It is said truly that these plants have the fewest in- 

 sect enemies and diseases of any of our flowers. Yet 

 complaints come in regarding ants. These often cover 

 the bud, and sometimes, it is said, injure the flower. 

 What is the reason for this ? I once forced some Paeo- 

 «iies, and had a chance to watch them closely. I found 

 the buds exuded small drops of purest honey. Tasting 

 it, I could not tell the difference between it and the 

 genuine article. After that I noticed that ants and 

 bees and all sweet-loving insects- were very busy in 

 blooming time. Perhaps it is not generally known that 

 a field of Paeonies is one of the finest of all bee pastures, 

 and for weeks the air is filled with the hum and buzz 

 of honey gatherers. This honey is what the ants are 

 after. They are in evidence mostly before the buds 

 open. Sometimes they invade the flower for the nec- 

 tar hidden there. The bee is busy then mixing the pol- 

 len, so that we can have a larger variety. One remedy 

 is to have more flowers, so the insects will not concen- 

 trate on the lonely few. Those who grow them in quan- 

 tities are never troubled. Another remedy is to put 

 an old saucer at the base of your plant, with syrup mix- 



