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CARL PURDY, UKIAH, CALIFORNIA 
plants are pushed to early maturity and very poor bloom results. In a cold, foggy sea- 
son they are fine. This difficulty can be overcome by planting the bed where there is 
either a light shade most of the day, or in a position that is shaded heavily from 12 to 4 
o'clock each day. 
The plants demand a deep, well-prepared bed. If the soil is dug over to a depth 
of 3 feet and manure is worked in, the, trouble will be well repaid, for when we plant 
Peonies they last many years. They improve season after season, and at six or eight 
years are simply grand, if the rooting-space was well prepared. During their growing 
and flowering season liberal watering is demanded, but after that very little is neces- 
sary. The first year's bloom is comparatively poor, no matter how good the plants 
are. In planting do not cover the crowns (buds) over 3 inches deep. Every winter the 
Peony bed should have a liberal coat of half-rotted manure. Give them all the atten- 
tion you can. 
Oregon and Washington in the coastal regions, the Willamette Valley and the Puget 
Sound regions are admirably adapted to Peony-culture and, if care is taken, wonderful 
results can be had with them. 
My set of Peonies was selected in Europe especially for growing for cut-flowers and 
nearly every one is fragrant and of the taller-growing sorts. If the very finest flowers 
arc wanted, each stem should be disbudded to the single terminal flower and a little 
nitrate of soda just as the buds develop add to their size and beauty. I grow many 
stems 4 feet high. 
Carnea elegans has a perfect rose-type flower with broad petals of a clear flesh- 
color; fragrant. Medium height. $1 and 50 cts. each. 
Crown on Crown opens a soft creamy tinted pink and becomes pure white. A very 
large flower. 50 cts. and 35 cts. each. 
Duchesse de Nemours is of the crown type, pure white crown, sulphur collar, and 
fragrant. A vigorous grower. 50 cts. and 35 cts. each. 
Edulis superba is of the crown type, with a loose, flat flower. It is bright mauve- 
pink, with lilac petals mixed in collar. A strong, erect, free-growing sort. 50 cts. and 
35 cts. each. 
Eugenie Verdier is a large, compact flower of rose type; color pale hydrangea- 
pink, the collar lighter, and the center flecked crimson; fragrant. Tall and erect. Mid- 
season. $1 and 75 cts. each. 
Fragrans. Bomb type, dark red, and very fragrant. It is tall, very strong and 
vigorous, and, with me, very free-flowering. In the artificial lights, the flowers are like 
giant American Beauty roses and wonderful in changing lights. 50 cts. and 35 cts. each. 
Festiva maxima. Rose type; pure white, with the outer petals faint lilac on open- 
ing; center touched with crimson. Tall and strong. 50 cts. and 35 cts. each. 
Gloire de Boskoop is a large, globular flower of rose type; a rich pink throughout, 
often changing to flame-color. Very tall and strong and, when well grown, a wonder- 
fully showy thing. $1 and 50 cts. each. 
Marie Lemoine. Rose type, with very compact flower ; color pure white, with creamy 
center; fragrant. Very stout but of medium height. Very late. 75 cts. and 50 cts. each. 
Modeste Guerin is a typical bomb. Light solferino-rcd ; quite fragrant. Tall, 
strong grower. 50 cts. and 35 cts. each. 
Rubra Triumphans. A globular semi-rose type; very dark crimson; fragrant. 
Rather compact in growth and very leafy. 50 cts. and 35 cts. each. 
Solfaterre is a compact bomb, but develops a crown, at first sulphur-yellow, but 
becomes pure white; fragrant; a very lovely flower. Height medium. Midseason. 
75 cts. and 50 cts. each. 
Pink 1 (unnamed). A perfect bomb; an exquisite soft pink throughout; fragrant. 
Very strong and tall and the finest that I have. $1 each. 
Pink 5 (unnamed). Large, compact crown, opening flushed pink but becoming 
pure white; fragrant. Very tall and strong. Early. 50 cts. and 35 cts. each. 
Tenuifolia is of another type altogether. The stems are low and the brilliant red 
flowers are set down in a mass of finely cut fern-like foliage something in the manner of 
a love-in-the-mist. Beautiful. 
PETASITES japonicus, or Coltsfoot, is one of the finest of the very large-leaved 
plants. From a running rootstock immense heart-shaped leaves are grown on stalks 
3 to 4 feet high, making a colony of the great leaves. With a background of shrubs 
it is very effective. Si/., sun or light shade. PL, winter. Prop., runners. Soil, deep 
rich, loose, and moist. 50 cts. each. 
