EVERY GARDEN MEAJ^S <A HOME 
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^p|^HE multiplicity of varieties in the more popular groups 
of flowers is a burden to both the collector and the 
frijLyf dealer, and to the uninitiated seems to suggest duplica- 
Srpls^ tions or renamings. True, such things have occurred, 
but not often in a deliberate attempt to fool the public; rather 
have the guilty ones been the victims of their own enthusiasm 
or perhaps lack of sufficiently wide acquaintance with all the 
extant varieties. It may not, indeed, be possible for one 
man to distinguish and identify all the known cultivated varie- 
ties of Rose, Peony, Phlox, Gladiolus, Sweet-pea or what not — 
to say nothing of having a sound mental picture of the hosts of 
varieties that have passed out of existence but whose names yet 
persist. And who can say positively that not one specimen of 
any of these lost varieties will not turn up in some obscure 
corner, in some old-time garden spot — just as at Magnolia near 
Charlestown, N.C., there have been identified a large number 
of the old original Azaleas, now generally “lost to cultivation”? 
As to Roses, what of the 1 1 ,01 6 authenticated names of varieties 
given in Simon and Cochet’s “Nomenclature de Tous les Noms 
de Roses” in 1906. And there have been many added since 
then. Can any one know them all? Does anybody need 
to? 
Voting for the Best Peonies 
N EW varieties, new names keep coming and old varieties 
are discarded for one reason or another. Fashions or 
fancies change, and cultural peculiarities account for some losses; 
and then there is actual progress, slow though it be, toward 
more practical ideals. Now it would seem that a constructive 
step to be made by the several “special flower societies” should 
be toward the recognition of popular discard and general rejec- 
tion, by whatever means brought about; this, just as much as 
the recognition of novelty or progress in the production and in- 
troduction of new names or varieties. Surely the public gen- 
erally would be benefited by such official action. But such a 
course entails a lot of long-continued work, systematized and 
intelligently carried out. 
Hence, all the more credit to the American Peony Society 
for publishing its latest “Symposium” (Bulletin No. 14) which, 
under the direction of the secretary, Prof. A. P. Saunders, goes 
far to accomplish both the ends suggested above. In deter- 
mining an elimination list of in varieties of the 600 or 700 
(which is about the number grown by the larger collectors) a 
bold step is taken, and it is hoped that other special flower 
societies may render equal service. 
A tabulated report of all the votes received from the con- 
noisseurs appears in the Bulletin and it is interesting to note 
that any hope of distributing the most favored varieties on 
any state or geographical basis proved to be illusory — the 
“good” qualities are seemingly inherent features. There is 
indeed an exceptional unanimity of the authorities in this re- 
spect. The constructive thing for the buyer of a yet unde- 
veloped critical training is that this scheme is a pretty good 
method of recording approval for certain varieties in all sections. 
The leading favorites are as follows: 
Adolphe Rousseau 
Albatre 
Albert Crousse 
Alsace-Lorraine 
*Asa Gray 
‘Augustin d’Hour 
Aurore 
Avalanche 
Baroness Schroeder 
Claire Dubois 
Couronne d’Or 
Delachei 
Dorchester 
‘Due de Wellington 
Duchesse de Nemours 
‘Edulis Superba 
Eugene Verdier La Tulipe Marie Jacquin 
Eugenie Verdier Le Cygne Marie Lemoine 
Felix Crousse ‘Livingstone Milton Hill 
Festiva Maxima Mme. Auguste Dessert Modeste Guerin 
‘Floral Treasure *Mme. Bucquet M. Dupont 
Germaine Bigot *Mme. Calot M. Jules Elie 
Gloire de Chas. Gom- Mme. Crousse M. Martin Cahuzac 
bault *Mme. de Galhau *Mont Blanc 
Golden Harvest Mme. de Verneville *Primevere 
Grandiflora Mme. Ducel Rosa Bonheur 
James Kelway Mme. Emile Galle Rubra Superba 
Jeanne d' Arc Mme. Emile Lemoine Sarah Bernhardt 
Karl Rosenfield Mme. Forel Solange [de Lille 
Lady Alexandra Duff Mme. Geissler ‘Triomphe de l'Exposition 
*La France Marguerite Gerard ‘L’mbellata Rosea 
LaTendresse Marie Crousse Venus 
It is to be noted, in the words of the Bulletin, “all except those 
marked with an asterisk are to be considered as finally disposed 
of” and are placed in the ranks of Peonies of accepted quality. 
Those others are forging ahead in this latest symposium of what 
is good in Peonies. 
The Peony Show at Boston 
T HE Annual Meeting and Exhibition of the American 
Peony Society at Boston on June 1 8th and 19th afforded 
another opportunity for a study of varieties. Though the late 
date (for the season) militated against the anticipated size of 
the display, the handicap was bravely met by J. C. Thurlow’s 
Sons, Inc., who put into cold storage during their season of 
bloom a sufficient quantity of cut flowers to fill up completely 
one room as a display, and also to enter in many of the com- 
petitions. Mr. H. A. Norton’s more northern Canadian garden 
contributed sterling quality in size and freshness. Altogether, 
the exhibition gratifyingly surprised. The leading varieties 
were as follows: 
Shown in the class for more than 100 varieties (Thurlow) were 
Pres. Wilson, soft rose pink; La Perle, bluish white in centre, 
darker toward the edge; Milton Hill, delicate flesh color, of 
exquisite form; La France, soft pink; Marquis C. Lagergren, 
brilliant cherry red. 
Collection of ten double varieties (Norton) three blooms of 
each included Le Cygne; Reine Hortense; Adolphe Rousseau; 
Mrs. George Bunyard; Felix Crousse; Frances Willard; James 
Kelway; Martha Bulloch; Venus; Monsieur Jules Elie. 
Twenty blooms, double, white and cream. Madame Jules 
Dessert. 
Twenty blooms, double, dark pink, Madame Geissler, Sarah 
Bernhardt. 
Six specimen blooms, any variety. Solange. 
Twenty blooms, double, red or crimson, Eugene Bigot. 
One specimen bloom, double, any variety. Festiva Maxima, 
Avalanche. Mr. Donahue’s collection of not more than 50 
named varieties included Kelway’s Glorious; Raoul Dessert; 
Phillippe Rivoire; Le Cygne; Beranger; Jeanne Gaudichau; 
Walter Faxon; La Lorraine; Kelway’s Queen; Solange and Tour- 
angelle. 
Twelve blooms, two varieties, Festiva Maxima and Therese. 
Six blooms, red or crimson, Felix Crousse. 
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