With pardonable pride we were glad to find 
our judgment in the selection of choice 
varieties confirmed each time the Peony 
Society has sent out an official rating. The 
sorts that have proven worthy of a place in 
our Master List, with but few exceptions, are 
among those of the highest ballot. Where we 
have continued to have the courage of our 
convictions is in a section like the reds, where 
there is such a meager stock to select from, 
we have been compelled to retain the available 
ones until better sorts are produced. In 
fact of the seven we carry with a ballot below 
8.0, we do so for reasons like good storage 
qualities and other considerations that do not 
appeal to the average member whose ballot 
helped decide the low rating. 
The remarkable feature of our list is to find 
all the best sorts offered and practically none 
of the mediocre kinds to wade through in 
making a selection. We have also a well bal¬ 
anced price list to meet the requirements of 
purchasers of every size pocket book. 
In the beginning we carried only a limited 
number of Peonies. Our keen interest grew 
and as early as 1888 we had in cultivation over 
three hundred varieties, personally selected 
from the best stock put out in Europe. Our 
trips abroad and our direct contact with the 
growers in European countries where Peonies 
abound in all their glory gave us an insight 
into methods and means very helpful to us 
in the development of our own Peony business. 
We have made a special study of this interest¬ 
ing plant from every viewpoint and have ac¬ 
cumulated all there is to be had in literature, 
as well as tested every kind of which we have 
knowledge offered anywhere. 
We make no pretense of carrying or offering 
for sale a complete collection of every known 
Peony. We have devoted our attention to the 
newer and better qualities and after passing 
through a thorough test of several years those 
of decided merit and difference are retained 
and the more common have been eliminated. 
We refer to these better varieties in connec¬ 
tion with our bit of Peony history to show 
something about our achievement and the 
part that the Peterson Nursery has played in 
Peony development. 
The points of excellence taken into considera¬ 
tion in making selections are Free Blooming, 
Strong Stems, Shade, Fullness, Keeping Qual¬ 
ities, and Freedom from Blythe. We have also 
given due regard to shade and fragrance 
and the extension of the blooming period. 
In all of our work we have tried to add dignity 
and service to Peony history. We are here to 
serve. Address us: 
qA Field of Peony Bloom in the Peterson Nursery 
