424 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



were grandiflora nivea, sinensis odorata, and ancmonceflora alba ; 

 and at the same date M. Jacques, gardener to King Louis 

 Philippe at Neuilly, who began with P. paradoxa. One of his 

 first was P. fimbriata sanguinea plena, his collection passing 

 on to his nephew, M. Victor Verdier, of Paris, who about 1838 

 sent out several of the varieties. Modeste Guerin, of Paris, in 

 1885 made rapid strides, sending out about 1837-8 such good 

 varieties as Modeste Guerin, Duchesse de Nemours, Mme. Fur- 

 tado, and the fine dark crimsons which owed their origin to 

 P. Pottsi. 



" In 1840 the Prince de Salm Dyck possessed a rich collection 

 of Peonies," writes M. Lemoine, " which I saw in 1842 at his 

 establishment at Soulange Bodin, near Paris ; but," he adds, <: it 

 was only about 1845 that the fine new double varieties were 

 sent out from the Paris establishment." The principal and 

 latest raiser was M. Calot, of Douai (Nord), who inherited a 

 large collection from an amateur, the Comte de Cussy, and con- 

 tinued the collection and production of seedlings till 1872, when 

 his collection passed into the hands of M. Crousse, of Nancy, 

 whose careful selection of varieties sent out in an annual series 

 from that date until 1879, and subsequently his own seedlings 

 from 1882 to 1889, have brought our collections up to the high 

 standard which the varieties composing them have now attained, 

 Calot's plants dominating all others, such as Mme. Calot, Jules 

 Calot, Souv. de Gaspar Calot, Mme. Crousse, Livingstone, Felix 

 Crousse, Modele de Perfection, Mme. Geissler, &c. 



In Belgium an amateur, M. Buyck, about 1835 produced, 

 amongst others, Festiva maxima ; and M. Parmentier, of Enghien, 

 some fine dark sorts, such as Due d'Arrenberg. 



Our English raisers, beginning with Mr. Salter and ending 

 with the fine series so splendidly and continuously shown by 

 Messrs. Kelway, show what can be done in our climate in raising 

 new kinds from seed. Mr. Kelway has been good enough to 

 embody his experience in the following letter : — 



June G, 1890. 



Dear Mr. Paul, — You kindly asked me to give you an outline of 

 my doings with the Pfeony. I am afraid I have but little to tell you 

 that may be interesting. My exhibits during the past ten years are 

 exemplifications of my success in its hybridisation and cultivation. I 

 happened to be at a neighbouring " wake " in 1863, and was much 

 impresses with the blooms of various Pteonies which bedecked several 



