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SPECIAL AND IMPORT PRICES FOR 3902. 
OLD SPECIMEN PLANT OF TREE PtflONY.— From the English Flower Garden. 
Japanese Tree Pseonies. 
Last spring I was invited by one of my customers to Ree a collection of fifty Japanese Tree Pseonies in bloom that I had 
imported for him from Japan two years before, and if I could write a description that would give any idea of their beauty the 
Japanese growers would not be able to supply one-tenth of the demand for plants. I don’t wonder that the Japs have a 
special holiday for visiting the Pmony gardens, but 1 do wonder that we Americans who boast of our education and refine¬ 
ment should be content with the poor and commonplace bedding plants usually seen in our gardens when such superb floral 
creations ns Japanese Tree Pseonies are to be had at a small cost. I have said this before, but the truth is so important to a 
lover of a garden, and is so little known or heeded, that I must keep on repeating it. The first cost of a fine hardy plant like 
a tree preony is its only cost and it increases in size and beauty year after year so that a plant that may have only cost fifty 
cents when purchased may become one in a few years that one would hesitate to accept twenty-five dollars for. Such a plant 
is a Tree Pieony. I have seen one that had sixty-six open flowers on it at one time, and read a description of another that had 
over five hundred blooms in one season. Now when it is considered that the blooms range from eight to twelve inches across 
and are of the richest and most lovely shades of coloring imaginable it can be understood what a floral wonder a Japanese 
Tree Pseony may grow into. But one does not need to wait years for enjoyment of these flowers—a majority of the plants will 
bloom the first season planted, and in the second season will produce from two to five flowers each. The flowers range in color 
from pure white to the darkest shade of purple including all shades of scarlet, crimson, pink, some in solid colors some 
curiously striped or marked. The shades of pink are the softest and most lovely imaginable. 
These Tree Pieonies must not be confused with common herbaceous Pseonies which are so popular, instead of dying to the 
ground every year they make a hard wooded growth and in time become quite large shrubs. 
"The Tree Pseony is one of the noblest plants available for the garden; it is quite hardy and flourishes under the simplest treat¬ 
ment. The smallest shrub will flower in the most astonishing manner, bearing blossoms the size of dinner plates and the plant iiicreases 
annually in size until one plant becomes a veritable bank of living flower. The Tree Pieony is valuable for isolation on lawns and for 
borders and ill nooks backed by Conifers or other shrubs. Any soil suits it and any position. It will repay those who afford it good treat- 
mcnt in the form of well trenched soil and well-rotted manure, and occasional top dressings; but it should remain undisturbed as much 
as possible and allowed to mature its shoots, which year by year add to the size of the plant until it becomes the grandest obiect in the 
garden. Watering well before and during flowering greatly assists in the production of large shapely blooms, and where mild weather in 
the spring has brought on very early buds, protection of some kind should be given from late frosts The plant is absolutely hardv but 
where it has been induced by a mild winter to put forth early flowers, the buds get an occasional “nip.” Flowering season : May and early in 
I have a set of Japanese water color drawings of these Pseonies which will be sent for examination on receipt of ten cents 
to cover postage. These drawings must be returned, but if Pieonies are ordered the amount sent for postage will be allowed 
on the price of the Pseonies. 
Eaoh. Per Dos. Per 100 . 
PRICE. — Fine Blooming Plants in 50 choice varieties.$ 75 $ 7 50 $55 00 
Extra Selected Blooming Plants in 50 choice varieties... 1 25 12 00 85 00 
A limited number of large specimen plants at $3.00, $4.00, $5.00, $6.00 and $7.00 each, according to size. 
