252 ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM. PART III. 



30 



the emperor, and which is said to have from 100 to 



1000 petals. — It is recommended to those who wish 



to import plants from Canton, to furnish themselves 



with good Chinese drawings of the varieties they wish 



to obtain; and to send these to an agent or col- 

 lector. Mr. Main also recommends adding to the 



drawing the Chinese character for the variety, if it 30 



can be procured. The word moutan is written in 



Chinese as in^g. 30. 



Description. The Paeonia Moutan, in a sheltered 

 situation, will attain the height of from 6 ft. to 10 ft. 

 in ten years; and no plant can be a more gorgeous 

 ornament of the garden than such a bush, abounding 

 as it does in leaves, striking from their branched character and numerous seg- 

 ments, and in very magnificent flowers, of extraordinary size : both leaves 

 and flowers being produced early in the spring. 



Geography, History, fyc. P. Moutan appears to have been first observed by 

 Europeans in the gardens at Canton, where, however, it is neither indigenous 

 nor propagated ; but the plants are brought by the commercial gardeners of 

 the provinces of Nan-Kin and Ho-Nan, where it is a native, and sold by 

 them to the merchants and others possessing gardens at Canton. From 

 Chinese drawings, and from the extravagant praises bestowed upon this plant 

 in the Memoires sur la Chine, published by the missionaries, an ardent desire 

 was excited, in Sir Joseph Banks and others, to import plants into England ; 

 and, previously to 1786, Sir Joseph Banks engaged Mr. Duncan, a medical 

 gentleman attached to the East India Company's service, to procure a plant 

 for the royal garden at Kew, where it was first received, through Mr. Duncan's 

 exertions, in 1787. (See Gard. Mag. ,'u. p. 424.) Various plants have since been 

 imported by different individuals, mostly of the common sort (P. M. Banksw), 

 but including also some of the varieties which have been enumerated above. 

 In 1803, the P. Moutan was introduced into France, and various other parts 

 of the continent of Europe, having been sent from the Hammersmith Nursery 

 to the garden of Malmaison. 



Soil and Situation. On its first importation this plant was grown in sandy 

 peat ; but it has since been found to thrive best in deep rich loamy soil. An 

 open situation is preferable, both on account of maturing the wood and leaves, 

 and for displaying the flowers to advantage; but the plant must be sheltered 

 from the north and east, or other cold spring winds, unless it is intended to 

 cover it, when it is in flower, with a movable glass, or canvass, case. The pro- 

 tection given to this plant is necessary, not so much to prevent it from being 

 injured during winter (for it will bear the winters of Paris without any pro- 

 tection, if the wood has been properly ripened), as to protect the tender leaves 

 and flowers when they first appear, in April and May, from being blackened by 

 the frost. Mr. Curtis finds, at Glazenwood in Essex, that by giving the plants 

 no protection whatever, they flower somewhat later than if protected ; and 

 this slight retardation, in his part of the country, is sufficient, in most years, to 

 prevent the flowers from being injured by frost. In severe weather, however, 

 when they are in flower, he protects them with poles and mats. (Curt. Bot. 

 Mag., vol. i. p. 26., 1833, new edit.) 



Properties and Uses. The whole plant possesses narcotic and poisonous 

 qualities, which are common to the genus. No use, however, is made of the 

 ligneous species, but as an ornamental flowering shrub, as which, it is needless 

 to say, it holds the very first rank. 



Propagation and Culture. The Chinese are said to propagate this plant by 

 seeds, in order to procure new varieties; but they also multiply it by parting 

 the roots, and by layers and cuttings ; and it is said that " they generally ino- 

 culate the buds of different varieties upon the several branches of the same 

 colour. When the time of flowering approaches, they carefully remove all the 

 superfluous buds, in order to strengthen those which they intend to expand ; 

 and these they also protect from the scorching heat of the sun." (Kcrmp.Amcrn. 



