122 



FLORA AND SYLVA. 



which, being entirely red in autumn, has a superb 

 effect. Planted on the borders of a wood of syhestris 

 Pine (unfortunately some years later than it), pa- 

 lustris, like other American Oaks similarly planted, 

 gave less satisfactory results, as the Pine has taken 

 possession and exhausted a soil which was never 

 other than poor. We have, notwithstanding these 

 unfavourable conditions, trees that measure 32^ to 

 35-i- feet high, and 15^ to 16^ inches in girth, and 

 show vigorous growth. 



"The Scarlet Oak. (Quercus cocdned). — The 

 same observations apply to this, which bears the hand- 

 somest foliage of any, its great cut leaf, brilliant red 

 from the beginning of autumn, retaining throughout 

 the winter a warm, reddish-brown tone. Planted as 

 a fringe to woods of resinous species in a poor, dry 

 soil, these Oaks are already 26 to 32 \ feet high, and 

 promise to do well. 



"The Red Oak (Quercus rubra). — This is one 

 of the principal ornaments at Barres, where it assumes 

 large proportions, and fructifies every year, though 



its wood is of only middling quality. In Eastern 

 France the wood is said to be much better and to 

 almost equal that of our good native Oaks. At 

 Vaux, in such unfavourable conditions as I have 

 described above, it bears itself bravely and promises 

 to outstrip its uncongenial neighbours, the Pines. 

 The specimens I have are now 29 to 36 feet high 

 and 15^ to i6-3r inches in girth. 



" All the species enumerated above, whether re- 

 sinous or deciduous, are hardy in our inclement sea- 

 sons, all having withstood, without hurt, the severe 

 frosts of 1 879-80, with the exception of young plants 

 of the Wellingtonia and the Cedars, the wood of 

 which was not quite seasoned." 



" Author's Note. — Since the above was written 

 the trees described have added two seasons' growth 

 to the dimensions stated. Although I have not 

 thought it necessary to measure them all over again, 

 I may say that the rate of growth has been, on the 

 whole, fully equal, if not superior, to what the trees 

 had already shown." 



THE TREE PiEONY. 



The Moutan is a true wild shrub, indigenous 

 to the northern provinces of Ho-Nan and 

 Nan-Kin, where it inhabits mountain regions 

 and whence it was brought to Canton. For 

 countless generations Chinese gardeners have 

 occupied themselves in raising new varieties 

 of this the king of flowers as they call it, and 

 fifty years ago Anderson asserted that they 

 possessed no fewer than 250 distinct sorts 

 representing all the colours which Peonies are 

 capable of producing. They have crimsons of 

 every shade to nearly black, whites, yellows, 

 purples, roses, and even blues. These are said 

 to be all self-coloured, for the Chinese reject 

 variegated flowers. Some varieties they call 

 P^-Leang-Kin (a hundred ounces of gold), in 

 allusion to their great value. In 1 794 a second 

 variety was introduced by a Mr. Greville; this 

 was named rosea, the flowers being of a deep 

 rose-pink colour, while those of Sir Joseph 

 Bank's plant were blush-pink and double. In 

 1806 a third variety was introduced, and this, 

 because its flowers were single, is considered to 

 be the wild plant. The late Robert Fortune, 

 the Chinese traveller, introduced several varie- 

 ties of Tree Pasonies, and most of these are in 

 gardens at the present day. 



The selection of the best spot in the open 

 garden for the Tree Pasony is more important 

 than any subsequent attention which it re- 



quires. It must have an open spot away from 

 the shade or shelter of trees ; but, if possible, 

 it should be sheltered from north and east 

 winds, which prevail in spring, about the 

 time when the plant is pushing out its new 

 growths. It should be the aim of the culti- 

 vator to retard the growth as much as he can, 

 and if the locality is naturally warm, the Tree 

 Paeony will require particular attention, other- 

 wise a frost in April will destroy both growth 

 and bloom. It is the practice in some places 

 to protect the plants by a movable glass light, 

 or by fitting up around them a temporary 

 framework on which is placed muslin, canvas, 

 or other thin protecting material during the 

 most critical time, that is, from the time when 

 the young shoots begin to lengthen till all fear 

 of frosts is over. If a plant is overtaken by 

 frost, without protection, then the best thing 

 to do is to screen it at once from the morning 

 sun, so that the plant may thaw gradually. In 

 some districts no protection is necessary, and 

 this is the case principally in upland gardens, 

 which are colder than those in the valleys, 

 and, therefore, vegetation does not start so 

 early. In old days when Tree Peonies were 

 as much thought of as Cattleyas are now, all 

 manner of devices were resorted to in order 

 to tide the plants safely over our treacherous 

 springs, for it was found that scarcely any 



