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his plants two or three years later. If the grower has 
the courage to pinch one of the buds from the two 
main stems, the bud remaining will develop into a finer 
flower than if the young plant was allowed to try to 
bring the two to full development. On young plants 
all blooms should be cut so that the plant does not 
have a chance to grow and ripen seed, for maturing seed 
is said to use strength which should be retained and 
used for root growth. 
Peony plants need comparatively little attention. 
The soil should be loosened around the plants to the 
depth of about an inch soon after the shoots are 
through the ground. Too deep early cultivation may 
injure the roots. Keep the soil free from weeds and 
grass and the plants will ask little else of the gardener. 
The second year the beginner may allow four or 
five stems to carry main blooms, and the third season 
should find him with such a quantity of extremely fine 
flowers that he will be unable to resist the impulse to 
exhibit them at the nearest peony show. 
