126 



THE CENTURY BOOK OF GARDENING. 



P. COriacea, a native of Spain, flowers single, bright 

 rose, the loliage being of a bine-green tint, and the stems 

 coral red. 



P. Corsica, from the island of Corsica, flowers single, 



bright crimson-red. 

 P. decora, from Eastern Europe, flowers single, crimson. 



There are named varieties ol this species, of which elatior 



Ianthe and Pallasi are good. 

 P. Emodi, a native of the Himalayas, flowers single, 



white. This is a singularly beautiful species, and is said 



to be allied to P. albiflora. 

 P. hlimilis, from Southern Europe, flowers single, 



carmine pink. 



P. llltea, a native of Southern China, flowers single, 



yellow, with red stamens. 

 P. mierocarpa, from Spain, flowers single, crimson, 



leafage downy. 



P. mollis, from Siberia, flowers small, single, deep red, 

 plant dwarf. 



P. Officinalis, a native of Southern Europe, flowers 

 single, bright crimson, This is the progenitor of the old 

 double Paeonies of our gardens. Forms of this species 

 are P. anemonreflora, blanda, lobata, rosea, and other 

 named varieties, of colours ranging from crimson to 

 flesh. 



P. paradoxa, from Southern Europe, flowers single, 

 deep purple-red. 



P. peregrina, a native of Southern Europe, flowers 

 single, rich crimson. There are several named varieties 

 of this species, ranging in colour from crimson to blush 

 pink, ol which two colours, Brilliant and Blushing Maid, 

 are good examples. 



P. tenilifolia, a native of the Crimea, flowers single, 

 rich crimson, leafage feathery and Fennel-like. There 

 is a handsome double variety of this plant. 



P. triternata, from the Caucasus, flowers single, soft 

 pink in colour. In the autumn the seed-pods of this 

 Paeony, which are larger than in most species, open and 



DOUBLE HIGH-CENTRED PEONIES. 



disclose ten to thirty seeds, about the size of peas, the 

 fertile ones blue-black and the sterile of a bright scarlet, 

 the effect being even more decorative than the flower 

 displav. 



P. Wittmanniana, from Persia, flowers single, primrose 

 yellow. 



The Tree Pseony, or Paeonia Moutan, was introduced 

 over 100 years ago, and has probably been cultivated 



by the Chinese for more than 1,000 years. It is 

 perfectly hardy, but occasionally gets badly crippled by 

 spring frosts and cutting winds, owing to its habit of 

 starting into growth very early in the year. For this 

 reason it should be retarded as much as possible, by planting 

 in a position where it gets but little sunshine, especially 

 morning sunshine, this being particularly dangerous to 

 frozen shoots and buds, which if allowed to thaw 



THREE SINGLE VARIETIES. 



gradually in the shade Take little harm, but are speedily 

 destroyed if the sun reaches them while they are still in 

 a frozen state. Cutting winds from the north and east 

 often play havoc with the swelling buds, and young leaves 

 and plants are rendered unsightly for a whole season 

 owing to this cause. For this reason it is well that 

 shelter should be arranged towards the direction froili 

 which these devastating winds blow, in order that a 

 season's display may not be sacrificed in this way. 

 W inter protection is often synonymous with coddling, 

 which, in the case of Tree Pseonies, is disastrous in its 

 consequences, as it forwards the growth and renders it 

 more susceptible, instead of retarding and consolidating 

 it. The only description of protection that is admissible 

 i i an open wire canopy, over which a mat may be thrown 

 on Irosty nights, and even this will not be requisite 

 unless the buds are far advanced. The Tree Paeony, 

 although revelling in rich soil, is not so much incommoded 

 by the lack of it as is the herbaceous Paeony. Many 

 fine plants of the older, semi-double Paeonia Moutan, 

 bushes 6ft. high and as much through, may be seen 

 growing in unmanured soil, and even established in the 

 grass in some parts of England. These Paeonies are 

 useful for pot culture, if weli fed, and may easily be 

 forced into bloom during the months of February and 

 March, though, after such forcing, plants require a 

 year's rest before being again subjected to similar 

 treatment. The propagation of the Tree Paeony is 

 effected by grafting on the roots of the herbaceous 

 section. 



A selection of eighteen handsome named varieties is 

 here given : Athlete, white, flaked purple ; Beaute de 

 Canton, mauve ; Blanche de Noisette, white with lilac 

 spot at base of petal ; Duchess of Teck, white ; 

 Donckelaari, peach ; Julius Caesar, crimson lake ; 

 Lactea, white with purple spot ; Lord Macartney, 

 crimson ; Louise Mouchelet, salmon pink ; Madame 

 Stuart Lowe, salmon, shaded red ; Osiris, crimson 



