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j FOR BOTH AMATEUR AND PROFESSIONAL I 
! GROWERS OF THE GLADIOLUS, DAHLIA, IRIS, ETC. j 
Entered as second-class matter March 31, 1914, at post office at 
Calcium, N.Y.. under act of March 3, 1879. 
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I PUBLISHED MONTHLY ON THE FIRST OF THE { 
| MONTH BY MADISON COOPER, CALCIUM, N. Y. j 
Subscription price: Three years, $2.00; One year, $1.00. 
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A PLEA FOR SEEDLING PEONIES. 
[ W ritten ex firmly for The Flower Grower. ] 
T HE PEONY microbe is not only 
infectious, but once you get it in 
your blood there is no getting it 
out. The more Peonies you get, 
the more you want, but instead of be- 
ing a deadly ill, it 
gives new zest to 
life. It stands with- 
out a rival as a decor- 
ative flower in the 
home, the garden, the 
park, the cemetery, 
along the driveway, 
brook, lake-side and 
landscape. 
Any amateur, or a 
child, may succeed 
equally well with the 
professional. In fact, 
professionals have 
not the time, but de- 
pend upon the flower- 
loving amateurs to 
grow and introduce 
the best of their pro- 
ductions. Secure 
fresh seed and 
stratify for spring 
planting. By mix- 
ing them in a box 
of sand, and expos- 
ing them to the ele- 
ments over winter 
every seed will ger- 
minate when planted. 
Seeds allowed to 
fall on the ground 
and remain over 
winter, even in grass 
or weeds, will come 
up promptly with 
the first warm days of spring and 
grow if not disturbed. 
In cold climates we are apt to have 
a hard freeze later, which will kill 
all above ground. For this reason it 
is best to hold them dormant by a 
heavy mulch, or by placing the box on 
the north side of a building until 
danger is past, and the ground can be 
made in readiness to receive them. 
The sand is now sifted out and they 
Suggestions for Growing. 
By Sarah A. Pleas. 
are planted by line to facilitate close 
cultivation, by dropping the seed four 
inches apart, with one short-top Radish 
seed between to mark the row for 
early cultivation. 
The richer the ground the stronger 
they will grow. They make full 
growth, four to six inches in a short 
time. Cultivate as long as the vege- 
tables, then by using a heavy mulch to 
keep weeds down and conserve mois- 
ture, they will require no further care 
for the season. Boards or old rails 
laid close alongside will serve the 
same purpose, so long as they have 
light and air and moisture. 
Like red clover they are liable to be 
heaved out by freezing the first two 
winters. The freeze lifting the earth’s 
surface, breaks their root and in set- 
tling back leaves the short, broken 
root to drop over on 
the surface and 
perish. I had won- 
dered what became 
of them after the 
first year, until I 
happened to be out 
during a thaw, see- 
ing many the size of 
a lead pencil, two 
and a half inches 
long lying on top of 
the ground. By push- 
ing the broken end 
down well out of 
sight with my finger, 
all lived. 
It is much the 
safest to give all two 
year old plants a 
heavy mulch before 
freezing. This will 
force the broken 
plants back as the 
earth settles. A board 
laid on them would 
serve same purpose, 
but a mulch from 
the stable annually 
will serve the double 
purpose of enriching 
the ground and keep- 
ing the weeds down. 
It is not the freeze 
that injures them, 
but their being left 
on top of ground. Since seedlings 
make their growth quickly, it is as well 
to hold them back by leaving the mulch 
on until freezing is over and the ground 
in good condition to be worked, when 
the mulch should be raked from over 
the seeds or plants to allow them to 
come up, when it should be forked into 
the ground. 
They will grow and thrive without 
mulch, but the ground can scarcely be 
