HAYERFORD, PA. 
Peonies 
SIZE OF ROOTS. Prices quoted are for one-year-old plants or 
strong divisions, except as to new and scarce varieties where stock is 
very limited. Orders for these varieties will be accepted only with the 
understanding that the roots delivered, although of good growing size, 
will be divided to a point which will not permit of further proper 
division. We do not believe in one-eyed divisions. We never send 
them out and do not advise our customers to make them. Except in 
the hands of experts, they are liable to cause great disappointment. 
As a rule, even when successfully grown, it takes several years before 
they make sizable, satisfactory plants. 
DISEASES AND INSECTS. Peonies, as a rule, are free from pests 
and diseases. During a very wet season, however, they will occasionally 
develop what is commonly known as “root rot.” Certain varieties— 
weak growers—are more prone to this than others. Growing Peonies 
where others have grown before, permitting fresh manure to come in 
contact with the roots, dividing roots too frequently or into too small 
divisions—these are all considered by many growers as contributing 
causes to this trouble. If a Peony throws up numerous weak stems 
with many blind buds, or if some of the stems drop from no apparent 
cause, in fact, if you have a sick Peony,—dig it up and examine the 
roots. If you find a black decay, cut it out; or if the variety is a 
common one and inexpensive, throw it away or burn it up. If it is 
rare or valuable, after cutting out the decay, dust it with Dry Bor¬ 
deaux Mixture (which any seedsman can supply) and plant it in new 
ground. When purchasing, be sure the roots you receive are clean and 
healthy. We guarantee ours to be so. 
Peonies are never troubled with pests, although the rose chafer will 
sometimes feed on the bloom of the white varieties, particularly the 
late ones. Handpicking or knocking them into a pail of kerosene 
and water is the best way to get rid of them. The ants that are 
frequently found around the buds are only after the sweet honey-like 
substance that exudes before the flower opens. They do no harm and 
disappear at blooming-time. 
REMEMBER. Too deep planting will cause shy blooming. When 
cutting flowers, especially from young plants, do not cut too close to 
the ground but leave as much foliage as possible, because the leaves 
are necessary for root-growth. 
Peonies, when transplanted, do not fully recover and produce 
typical blooms until the second or third year. 
EXPLANATORY. The figures which precede the names denote 
the value rating, according to the AMERICAN PEONY SOCIETY’S 
Symposium published in 1921. They were carefully compiled by the 
secretary from about eighty-five different lists sent in by members 
of the Society from all over the United States. The figures in par¬ 
enthesis directly under the rating denote the number of members 
who expressed a valuation of that variety. The valuation was on 
a scale of ten in which a grade of 10.0 represented the highest excel¬ 
lence or absolute perfection in both plant and bloom; 9.0 shows very 
high quality but not the highest; 8.0 high quality and 7.0 fairly good 
quality, while any rating below 5.0 is hardly worth growing. Where no 
figures are given, the variety is too new or too scarce to have sufficient 
votes to form a fair judgment. In our opinion nothing below 7.0 is 
worth growing when there are so many that rate higher. We have, 
therefore, discarded all Peonies except one (Insignis) that rate below 
7.0 and have retained very few that rate below 7.5 This gives us a 
very choice list of less than 225 varieties that comprises all desirable 
shapes and shades, eliminating the weakest growers, the poorest 
colors (magentas), and the smallest flowers. IMany growers have 
accumulated stocks of inferior varieties and continue to offer them 
year after year knowing their inferiority but lacking the courage to 
discard them. 
In compiling these ratings the average valuation was taken 
and it may be said that the figures given represent the condensed 
opinion of the indicated number of growers as to the qualities of the 
plant and beauty of the flower. They are therefore wonderful guides to 
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