AND THE WILDERNESS BLOSSOMED 



Indeed it was precisely the same treatment that 

 was formerly followed by man, and not so long 

 ago either. Moreover I have seen wounds on 

 the neck of a duck, treated in this way, in such a 

 position that it would have been practically im- 

 possible for the wounded duck to have dressed it 

 himself. Another must have done it for him. 

 But are we not getting away from our flowers ? 

 I don't know that we are, for there are flowers in 

 the wilderness other than. those on stems, be they 

 long or short. 



You can have all the Peonies you want in 

 a climate as cold as our island, and they will give 

 you but little care or trouble. There are numer- 

 ous varieties, and four distinct species in the 

 herbaceous class. One of these, Paonia albi- 

 flora, the Chinese P^ony, flowers later than the 

 European species, P. officinalis and P. peregrina ; 

 so with a judicious mixture you can double the 

 period of bloom. All these species are perfectly 

 hardy. They delight in partial shade, and do 

 best in a deep moist loam, their bloom being 

 improved by an application of manure water at 

 the budding season. When the plants grow too 

 large, take them up in the spring, separate the 

 roots and transplant in fresh soil. 



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