P/EONIES. 



63 



Selections of Cheap Narcissi for Planting in Quantity. 



Trumpet Varieties. 

 abscissus. 

 *Achilles. 

 major, 

 nanus, 

 obvallaris. 

 *spurius. 

 cambricus. 



*English Lent Lily (pseudo- 

 narcissus), 

 lobularis. 



*pallidus prrecox. 

 princeps. 



telarnonius plenus. 



Chalice-cupped Varieties. 

 Cynosure. 

 Figaro. 

 Stella. 



aurantms plenus. 

 Golden Mary. 



Leedsi, Duchess of Brabant. 



Macleai. 

 odorus. 



Short-cupped Varieties. 

 Burbidgei. 



,, John Bain, 

 poeticus ornatus. 



,, angustifolius. 



,, of Gardens. 



,, double, 

 biflorus. 

 Jonquilla. 



THE PiEONIA. 



The beauty and variability of the Pseony early attracted the notice of the florist, 

 with the result that the varieties of both sections may now be counted by hundreds. 

 The brilliancy of colour and the size of the flowers of both the Moutan, or Tree, and 

 the herbaceous Peeonies compel admiration, however much some may decry them as 

 gaudy ; and their effectiveness in the garden can hardly be gainsaid. Like many other 

 flowers, they must be used with judgment ; and those who deprecate their beauty can 

 hardly be acquainted with the chasteness of colouring shown by many, while the 

 single varieties may be commended to those whose taste is averse to the double flowers 

 given by a large number of the plants. 



So far as can be gathered, the first of the herbaceous pseonies was introduced about 

 1548 ; the tree one following a considerable time later — in 1789. The number of 

 species of herbaceous pseonies is large, but it is to P. albiflora, a native of Siberia 

 and neighbouring countries, that we owe our florists' varieties, with a few exceptions. 

 There has lately been a revival of interest in the other species, with the result that 

 several varieties of some of these have been distinguished, and these are likely to be 

 increased in the near future. A selection of the most distinct of the species is 

 given, but space will only allow of the remark that some of these are plants of consider- 

 able character and beauty. 



The Moutan or Tree PiEONY (P. Moutan), a sub-shrub, is not so much known 

 as it should be — a circumstance due to some extent to its liability to injury from 

 spring frosts. There is no doubt of its hardiness, however, and its large flowers, 

 which are unique in their way, are great favourites with the Japanese and Chinese, who 

 have long cultivated these plants. Mr. J. G. Baker's synopsis of the genus distin- 



