September, 1913 
HOUSE AND GARDEN 
L 33 
To make of the peony what it should be — a plant unsurpassed by anything in the 
garden—a stiff clay loam is needed 
the high mountains and to the cold regions of Siberia — the 
growth begins in spring very, very early. Little feeding rootlets 
put out long before anything in the garden gives the faintest indi¬ 
cations of growth — as soon, indeed, as the ground is thawed — 
and these, of course, will be injured if transplanting is done after 
they have started. 
With the soil carefully prepared as directed, set out the plants 
any time in September, digging holes large enough to spread the 
roots in their natural 
position a n d deep 
enough to insure the 
crowns being two to 
three inches below 
the surface of the 
groun d. Otherwise 
roots will be more 
likely to heave out 
with the frost than to 
stay under during the 
winter. After the 
ground is frozen 
mulch with four or 
five inches of any 
loose material, such as 
straw, stable bedding 
or leaves. 
Peonies are among 
the few really beauti¬ 
ful flowers that will 
do as well in partial 
shade as in full sun. 
Indeed, many varie¬ 
ties are better for 
sucb shade, because 
the flowers do not 
fade as much as they do under strong light. Peony growers 
often shade the plants with cheesecloth screens, but, of course, 
this is not desirable in the garden. By a selection of varieties 
embracing the oldtime early flowering Pcconia officinalis, the tree 
peony, Moutan, and the herbaceous Pcconia albiftora the season 
of bloom may be extended very easily to a month and a half. 
Color is, of 
course, a mat¬ 
ter of personal 
taste; but, gen¬ 
eral ly speak¬ 
ing, the whites 
and rose colors 
may be found 
more satisfac¬ 
tory, I think, 
than the deep 
reds, and the 
semi - doubles 
and double va- 
rieties are 
more lasting 
on the plant or 
cut than the 
single ane¬ 
mone-flowered 
varieties. The 
latter are very 
lovely, how¬ 
ever, and if 
one is attempt- 
i n g anything 
Grandiflora rosea is a deep flesh pink, mid-season 
bloomer with a pleasant perfume 
like a collection, a few specimens should be included. The type 
known as the Japanese, which has a curious chrysanthemum-like 
center, is a very beautiful flower, and this also should be in every 
collection. Begin with the Pcconia officinalis, variety rosea, and 
Pcconia officinalis, variety alba. Add to these: Festiva maxima, 
which is perhaps the finest of all white; the John Dark, which is 
one of the most deliciously fragrant, pale lilac rose; the Mrs. 
Gwyn-Lewis, which is the Japanese type of pale yellow white; 
the double triumph 
Lenore, pink and very 
sweet; the Duke of 
Wellington and the 
Golden Harvest. 
These varieties may 
be repeated indefinite¬ 
ly if you have large 
space to give your 
plants, or, of course, 
additional varieties 
may be added. Keep 
to a few, however, 
for garden effects. 
Fifty plants of one 
kind are a model, 
whereas fifty plants 
of fifty kinds are only 
a nursery row. Of 
the tree peony choose 
the Maxima plena, the 
Comtesse de Tudor 
and Reseolens odorata. 
We have always 
supposed the peony 
was practically dis¬ 
ease and insect proof, 
but lately there has developed a very distressing sort of rot that 
is working havoc here and there among peony collections. The 
stems wilt and collapse before the plants have begun to bloom. 
Nothing can be done for this except destroy the affected parts 
and spray the plant with some good fungicide. Bordeaux, of 
course, is the most convenient and the most generally available 
p reparation, 
but it leaves 
the plant un¬ 
sightly until 
rain washes it 
from the 
leaves. An ap- 
plication of 
this perhaps 
every week 
from the time 
the plants ap¬ 
pear above the 
ground will 
practically i n - 
sure immunity, 
however, and I 
prefer using it 
to losing a 
plant or any 
part of it. So 
far, this fun- 
go us disease 
has not afifect- 
(Continued on 
page 176) 
Die Japanese single white has chrysanthemum¬ 
like inner petals 
