length of stalk and never cut down all the plant 

 after flowering. The foliage is fresh, handsome and 

 sightly all Summer. 



^ There is no hard and f a^ rule as to when peonies 

 may be planted. I have found that the mo^t satis- 

 factory results are obtained when the new roots are 

 placed between the middle of September and the 

 end of October, and it is during this period that 

 the lifting, transplanting or dividing of the roots 

 should be attended to. You realize early Autumn 

 planted roots will be abloom early the next Sum- 

 mer. Of course they can be planted almost any time 

 but when planted in the Spring an entire season of 

 bloom is lost for they will not bloom until the 

 following year. It is not necessary to give peonies 

 Winter protecftion. In the Spring a liberal spade- 

 ful of old manure should be dug in all around the 

 roots of each clump but not near enough to injure 

 the new growth that is ju^ below the surface. 

 ^ The use of even short stakes to indicate where the 

 roots are planted is unsatisfacftory, and I think 

 dangerous, for I know of a number of in^ances 

 where serious eye injury has occurred by coming 

 in contact with the stakes. For this reason I use 

 the old-fashioned clothespin, first dipped into 

 creosote, and their tops painted red. When pressed 

 into the soil to within an inch or two of their red 

 heads they serve their purpose admirably without 

 being unsightly. They also answer for name plates, 

 that is if you place on their tops small numbered 

 thumb-tacks (such as are used on windowscreens) 

 give each variety its number, recording it in your 

 garden-book, pressing in the corresponding num- 



