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September, ign 
HOUSE AND GARDEN 
153 
Monsieur Jules Elie, another excellent 
example of the cup shape with broad 
guard petals, like Marechal MacMahon 
In the “bomb” shape the flower is so fully 
doubled that the outer petals are forced 
back close against the stem 
La Tulipe, a white resembling Festiva Max¬ 
ima in the carmine stripes of petals, and 
particularly beautiful when fully open 
central one. When the buds are at¬ 
taining a very large size, just before 
unfolding, it may be noticed that ants 
are running up and down the stems 
and over the buds and leaves. There 
is nothing to be feared from this inva¬ 
sion, as the ants do absolutely no harm 
at all. They are merely seeking the 
sweet, gummy substance that exudes 
from under the edges of the bud's unfold¬ 
ing petals. 
The peony may be depended upon to 
produce luxuriant blooms of very large 
size without further attention. If you are 
like most garden amateurs, however, you 
will not be satisfied with this, but will 
want to find some way to produce extra¬ 
ordinary blooms. An application or two 
of liquid manure, after the buds have be¬ 
gun to swell, will contribute to the size of 
the flowers. The peony is a gross feeder 
and cannot easily be overfed. 
In the case of certain varieties, the be¬ 
ginner may be puzzled and discouraged to 
find that the buds formed the first year after planting will fail to 
develop, but will turn black and finally fall off. Unless this hap¬ 
pens again the second year there is no cause for alarm. It simply 
indicates that the peony has not become sufficiently well estab¬ 
lished in its site to nourish properly the buds that have been 
formed. In case this blasting of buds occurs the second year, it 
would be well to investigate the matter of soil or situation. The 
soil is probably unfitted by reason of its clayiness or lightness, or 
perhaps the plant does not receive sufficient sun, which the peony 
must have. 
In cutting the blooms it is well to pick them off in the early 
morning just as the bud is starting to unfold, plunging the stems 
at once into water and thus preventing air from entering the stem. 
The flowers will then last for several days or perhaps a week in 
water indoors. 
Assuming that you are convinced that your garden should not 
be without peonies next year, the very important question arises: 
what varieties should be selected from 
the almost innumerable ones catalogued 
by the nurserymen ? It may be well here 
to draw attention to a most important 
principle that should govern the selection 
of varieties of any flower. It is this: a 
variety appears in the horticultural world 
always as a novelty. It is offered in 
glowing terms usually in one or two 
catalogues, necessarily at a high price. 
It may turn out to be a great improve¬ 
ment on all earlier varieties, or it may 
turn out to be practically worthless with¬ 
in a year or two. In any event a variety 
that has proven itself fit to survive will 
in time be offered in many of the nur¬ 
serymen’s catalogues. In this way it 
may be recognized as a standard tried- 
and-true sort. For instance, Festiva 
Maxima is probably considered by the 
majority of peony growers, whether 
amateur or professional, as the finest 
white to-day. It was introduced by Miel- 
lez in 1851 and has held its own against 
all aspirants since that time. 
I have asked a number of men who 
really know peonies and make a business 
of growing them, to name the ten most satisfactory varieties for 
the amateur gardener. These lists follow. In the same way that 
Festiva Maxima recurs continually through these lists, you will 
find several others that have received almost as marked recogni¬ 
tion. Couronne d'Or appears often—-white with yellowish reflex 
petals and carmine edges. Duchesse de Nemours is another 
standard favorite, a sulphur-white with greenish reflex. Others 
that appear in several of the lists on the next page are: Modeste 
Guerin, a bright rose pink with purplish cast in center; Marie 
Lemoine, a large sulphur-white, shaded with pink and chamois 
—very late bloomer; Felix Crousse, a brilliant red, late mid¬ 
season ; Eugene Verdier, a flesh-pink, cup-shaped flower, shaded 
with yellow and salmon; Delicatissima (also known as Floral 
Treasure), a clear, delicate pink, lighter at center; and Mons. 
Jules Elie (see il¬ 
lustration) , a glossy 
flesh-pink, shading 
A light pink bloom of the “bomb” shape 
type, where the doubling is very pro¬ 
nounced and the form large and globular 
