February, 1920 
We are told that Peony fever is classed 
among the incurable diseases, and I am sure 
many are present who will agree. When I 
cheerfully paid $100 for a root of the Mrs. 
Edward Harding last fall I asked myself : 
“where is this mania going to end ?” Are 
we going to continue until we equal the 
Tulip craze that swept Holland in the 17th 
century and is now referred to as ‘ Tulipo- 
mania ’ and described as ‘ a form of gam- 
bling in which admiration of the flower and 
interest in its culture were very secondary 
matters.’ ” 
So far, I am deeply interested in its cul- 
ture and its flowers are such a joy and 
pleasure that only a June thunderstorm will 
drive me into the house. 
My first bloom on my gift plant was such 
a delight and wonder to me that when I 
moved to another home and found a tree 
Peony, a plant of Queen Victoria, Fragrans 
and a single white, I thought I had the finest 
collection known. Soon after this I saw a 
Peony manual advertised and sent 25 cents 
to the late C. S. Harrison for it. My eyes 
were opened and the quest was on. 
Throughout the book was the love of the 
beautiful and the possibilities in seedlings 
and the names of others who were interested. 
I wrote to several. Mrs. Pleas was the first 
to answer and gave me much valuable ad- 
vice and great pleasure in the Peonies I 
bought that fall. Mr. Brand’s letter went to 
California and by the time it was returned 
and answered it was too late for planting, 
but I secured them early the next year and 
eagerly watch his new ones, and believe to- 
day I have the largest collection of Brand 
Peonies, outside of his own, that any one 
possesses, and how they do grow in our In- 
diana soil and how beautiful they are. 
When I began to add European varieties, 
disappointments came — such tiny plants — 
and long waiting for bloom and sometimes 
sickly looking foliage. 
When I spoke before your meeting in 1916, 
some one asked me, “What do you do with 
plants when the foliage turns black and dies 
during the summer?’’ I answered, “I never 
had one do that.” I can answer that ques- 
tion now. It is dug and burned in the fur- 
nace. No matter what it is, it is advisable 
to destroy at once. It is usually a small, 
new plant, but do not run the risk of infect- 
ing your other plants or your soil. Some 
varieties should be put on the black list- 
why they are sold I do not know. 
Fertilizers. — We are using too much fer- 
tilization in our zeal for large flowers and 
fast propagation. Many are over-feeding, 
and the roots received this fall show it. New 
ground needs nothing at first — a covering 
of forest leaves in the late fall spaded in be- 
tween the rows in early spring, and a hand- 
full of hardwood ashes in a circle around 
the plant four inches away from the stems, 
is all our soil requires. I killed one row 
with bone meal ; injured another with liquid 
manure in blooming time and still another 
with barnyard manure, so I have quit ex- 
perimenting. 
Propagation.— This is greatly overdone. 
Peonies resent their division too often, and 
so do we when we receive a division of a 
high priced Peony that can be put into a 
match box. 
A friend wrote me recently that “ he re- 
ceived two Kelway’s Glorious at $30 each and 
the two roots combined weighed a trifle over 
two ounces.” Our only redress is to return 
them. Every alternate year is often enough 
to divide for propagation ; every ten years 
for good blooms. At least two growers have 
published records of Peonies 25 years old 
that are still blooming beautifully. 
Exchanges. — This stage of the fever is very 
contagious. It was brought to us by growers 
who were afraid we could not afford to pay 
cash for all we wanted, it has spread to 
every corner. Some are so infected that 
they do not have any blooms. They divide 
Z3l)£~3Flower (Brower 
every good Peony to use in exchanging and 
then divide the ones they receive. Some 
who are convalescent are asking for the 
rarest, choicest, highest priced ones in ex- 
change for older varieties that are good, but 
very plentiful. The remedy seems to be 
unknown so the doctor prescribes an opiate. 
Seedlings and Prizes.— There is a fascination 
about raising seedlings, but much trouble 
comes to the amateur, because he does not 
like to throw away any of them and each 
one seems worthy a place to bloom. We 
can see virtues in our own that nobody else 
can. I had fond hopes for that Harding 
prize myself but could not exhibit until 1920. 
Now I find I am disbarred from the Har- 
rison Memorial prize because I have already 
named it, but I am sure all parents will un- 
derstand me when I say, I would not change 
its name for ten such prizes, for it was 
named for my son who met death with the 
same sunshine on his face that the flower 
shows. 
Quarantine No. 37 I consider a protection 
in every way. We surely need protection 
from disease in plants and bulbs as well as 
animal life. We are told by the remonstra- 
tors “ that the flower loving public will be 
unnecessarily deprived of many beautiful 
plants.” Now, I am a firm believer in the 
resources of my own country and am con- 
vinced that we can raise anything for which 
there is a demand, from armies to Peonies. 
There may be a scarcity of stock for propa- 
gating, but a questionaire sent out will find 
out what is wanted to start with, and I am 
sure we have growers who can far outclass 
the Hollanders when it comes to dividing 
Peonies. In a few years we will be greatly 
overstocked. Added to this a special permit 
may be granted which greatly modifies the 
measure for anyone who cannot stand de- 
privation. From a commercial stand point 
it will protect growers and tend to stabil- 
ize prices. Let us stand by Quarantine No. 
37 and increase production at home for 
home consumption. 
Planting.— When I read directions “ to dig 
a trench two and a half to three feet deep 
filled in with well-rotted cow manure,” etc., 
I smile. I wonder how the forty, fifty and 
sixty acre fields could be trenched, and who 
ever saw a Peony root reach three feet 
under ground. Why trench warfare for a 
peaceable, sun-loving flower ? A writer in 
the Garden Magazine for August voices my 
sentiments when he says: “ Some hysterical 
horticulturist wrote that a hundred years 
ago and every Peony man since has seemed 
to think it necessary to copy it. Imagine 
excavating two and a half to three feet for 
a planting of one hundred, or even fifty 
Peonies. It brings visions of steam shovels, 
straining horses, shouting men. The duffer 
who first wrote that ought to have added, 
‘and if you change your mind about the 
Peonies and decide to have a house instead, 
you will have an excavation ready for the 
foundation.’ ” 
Plant in good garden soil prepared as you 
would for a garden by spading or plowing ; 
set at an angle of 45 degrees with the eyes 
two or three inches under the soil. Press 
firmly ; cultivate and then cultivate some 
more and do not divide if you want blooms. 
Cut Flowers. — Do not cut below the second 
or third leaf. If long stems are wanted 
grow only long stem varieties, but do not 
ruin your plants by cutting to the ground. 
Cut for the house ; cut for your friends ; 
cut for your church and hospital and after 
you have cut for everybody you can think 
of, look your field or garden over and see if 
you miss any. “Give and it shall be given 
unto you— good measure, pressed down and 
running over.” 
Peony Seedlings. — When seed is dry enough 
to put into packages it will not germinate 
until the second year. Seed houses do not 
care to handle it because many people do 
not understand this and enter complaints 
25 
when it does not come up the first year. It 
takes from three to seven years for a seed- 
ling to bloom, and about 50 'v come single. 
The others will be Japanese, semi-double 
and double. All Peonies do not produce 
seed and a rainy blooming season makes a 
short crop of seed. Added to this, a plant 
that bears a full crop of seed will not bloom 
as freely the following year, so it is best to 
cut all faded blooms back to the foliage ex- 
cept two or three that you want for seed. 
Most people who take the trouble to raise 
it plant it themselves, though I threw away 
eleven pounds last spring that I had strati- 
fied the preceding fall. The ground it took 
was needed to produce food and once 
sprouted it can not be put into packages and 
sold. It is fascinating to raise seedlings but 
it takes infinite patience and much care in 
cultivation. Several times a too zealous new 
“hand” has hoed up my one year old plants 
and some times a visitor will pick a pod or 
two to examine it, and it is usually one I 
have hand fertilized and watched very care- 
fully. Yes, it takes patience to raise seed- 
lings.” 
W. F. Christman, Secretary. 
Peonies and Acid Soils. 
It is understood that Peonies will not 
thrive in a soil strongly acid or with 
surplus of alkali. Wood ashes which 
contain a large percentage of wood lime 
are recommended as a fertilizer for 
Peonies. The wood lime, operates to 
correct soil acidity. Other forms of 
lime, however, may be used to ad- 
vantage where wood ashes are not ob- 
tainable. Fresh-slaked lime used rather 
liberally and thoroughly incorporated 
with the soil will sweeten it if sour or 
if of an alkaline character it will 
neutralize the alkali. Ground lime- 
stone is also recommended for acid 
soil and may be used in unlimited 
quantities without damage. As much 
as 2000 to 4000 lbs. per acre is recom- 
mended for general field crops, and we 
should say that the latter figure would 
be none too much for Peonies. There 
is no danger of using too much ground 
limestone and it need not be too fine. 
That which is rather coarsely ground 
is more lasting in its results. 
Charcoal for the Garden. 
As a manure for the garden charcoal is of 
especial value. It may be mixed, either 
crushed or in lumps, with the soil of pot 
plants. Besides rendering the soil porouse 
and facilitating drainage, charcoal is one 
of the most indestructible substances known, 
and has the property of absorbing carbonic 
and other gases yielding these up to plants 
as required for nourishment. It may be ap- 
plied to the most delicate subjects without 
danger. 
The charcoal would not “ take the place 
of soot,” which, when of good quality and 
the product of wood fires, contains about 3 
per cent, of nitrogen, and a very little phos- 
phates and potash, as well as other mineral 
substances. 
Like the charcoal, it makes the soil darker, 
and thus may assist in warming light-colored 
soils by absorbing more of the sun’s heat. 
If you have sufficient of the fine (wood) 
charcoal dust available for use in the open 
garden, sprinkle it fairly thickly over the 
soil and dig it in. — An Australian Exchange. 
If not too late note what Mr. Hunt 
has to say on page 21 about protecting 
bulbs in storage_from frost. 
