260 
The Garden Magazine, June, 1923 
five, out of every hundred seedlings, to show such quality as we 
have in the named sorts. Now this may be true enough where 
seed is gathered from a large and miscellaneous planting of Tree- 
Peonies, including many bad semi-double and single kinds; but 
it is not at all true when seed is gathered only from the extra 
good varieties, especially if these extra good ones constitute 
one’s entire stock, so that there is no danger of the fine sorts 
being intercrossed by inferior sorts through pollen carried by 
wind or bees. 
The question now arises, if any one wants to acquire a col¬ 
lection of Tree-Peonies on their own roots through the raising 
of seedlings, where can he obtain the necessary seed? The 
ordinary seed catalogues do not help us at all here, nor should 
we want to turn to them for seed that is to be the starting point 
of such a long and critical adventure. We must have better 
guarantee as to its source, and while it is sad to say so, it may as 
well be admitted now that there is no good and constant source 
of Tree-Peony seed—at least none to my knowledge. Seed is 
indeed obtainable from Japan and it is quite likely that it would 
yield most satisfactory results, but 1 have never raised a group of 
seedlings from Japanese seed and therefore have no assurance out 
of my own experience. Sometimes one is able to obtain a little 
seed from France, from M. Dessert in Chenonceaux, or from M. 
Lemoine in Nancy; and seed from either of these sources would 
be as nearly absolutely reliable as anything on earth. 1 think 
none of the American growers of Tree-Peonies, of whom there 
are but few, have ever offered on the market, seed of their own 
saving. The best plan probably for any one who wishes to start 
on this most fascinating experience would be to put in a request 
in advance to one of the European growers for an ounce or two 
of seed to be saved this season. 
Why It’s Worth While 
B UT wherein lies the extraordinary beauty of the Tree- 
Peony? I must give some answer to this question if 1 am 
to persuade any one that the plants are worth taking so much 
trouble for. 
I have spoken of the color of the flowers and 1 believe so far 
as the range of color in shades of pink and red is concerned, the 
Tree-Peony leaves nothing to be desired. The best of these 
colors in the Tree-Peony are truly of incredible beauty. But in 
form and size also these flowers have an almost unique quality. 
If size, as such, interests you, there will be no difficulty in pro¬ 
ducing blooms measuring ten or eleven inches across; that is, as 
big as a dinner plate. The Japanese catalogues sometimes 
even claim fourteen inches. 
The form of the bloom, sometimes cup-shaped, sometimes 
with the petals beautifully reflexing, is of ideal beauty, and the 
texture of the petals which are often crossed and laced with 
delicate lines is lovely beyond description. But it is not alone 
the flowers that make the Tree-Peony so desirable a plant. 
With the Herbaceous Peony, one often hears the foliage spoken of 
as handsome; some go so far as to say that Herbaceous Peonies 
“THE EXTRAORDINARY BEAUTY OF THE TREE-PEONY” 
Showing both single and double forms which come in a beautiful range of clear shining colors from palest flesh through pinks, deepening finally into the 
darker reds; and if size interests you, “ there will be no difficulty in producing blooms measuring ten or eleven inches across; that is, as big as a dinner plate ” 
