PEONIES 
for the hardening of its wood. The mistake, however, should not he 
made of giving it winter shelter, and thus inducing it to break earlier 
than it otherwise would. P. Moutan may also be treated as a pot-plant 
for flowering early under glass; it is sometimes forced, to obtain flowers 
in February, but this is an exhausting treatment, which necessitates a 
couple of years for recuperation before the plant is again subjected to 
forcing. The compost for Peonies in pots should be made very rich. 
The herbaceous species and their varieties do well and look well almost 
anywhere in a garden. Their stems and foliage die down completely in 
winter, the entire life of the plant being withdrawn to the thick under¬ 
ground rootstock. Propagation is chiefly effected by the division of the 
rootstock, but if good results are desired, this should be done sparingly. 
It is better to leave the greater portion of a plant for flowering, and be 
content with separating the offsets for increasing the stock. The secret 
for obtaining large clumps is to well manure, and leave undisturbed for 
several years. Tree Peonies are increased by taking suitable cuttings in 
August, and grafting them upon the rootstocks of seedlings of P. Moutan , 
attriflora, or officinalis, the former for choice. The single and semi¬ 
double kinds may also be grown from seeds, sown soon after they are 
ripe in autumn, or held over till March. They should be allowed to 
remain in the seed bed for two seasons, and in their first autumn the 
bed should have an inch of light earth sprinkled over it for protection 
through the winter. In the September of the following year they may 
be transplanted to their permanent positions. 
Description of We have devoted no less than four Plates to the 
Plates. illustration of this important genus, of which one serves as 
frontispiece to this volume. It represents the flower and upper leaves 
of P. Moutan, drawn about one-fifth less than the natural size. Plate 
13 shows P. albijlora and the details of flower-structure, including 
the unopened bud with its crimson-edged sepals, and the opening flower 
with the sepals turning back. Fig. 1 has the petals removed to show 
the stamens and carpels. Plate 14 presents the natural form and size 
of P. officinalis ; the stamens and carpels so clearly seen that no extra 
figure is needed. Plate 15 is also a natural-sized representation of 
P. tenuifolia, and an extra figure showing the short carpels, the slender 
stamens with their long filaments, and the persistent sepals. 
There are several genera of the Order Ranunculace.® not repre¬ 
sented in this work by illustrations, but as they contain cultivated 
species, a brief reference is necessary. 
Adonis (name classical). 
A genus of three or four annual or 
