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ELLIOTT NURSERY COMPANY, PITTSB URG, PA. 
OLD SPECIMEN PLANT OF TREE PEONY (From the " English Flower Carden "> 
JAPANESE TREE PEONIES 
Lust spring I was invited by one of my customers to see a collection of fifty Japanese Tree Peonies in bloom that I had imported for 
him from Japan some years before, and if I could write a description that would give any idea of their beauty the Japanese growers would not 
we Hole to supply one-tenth of the demand for plants. I don’t wonder that the Japs have a special holiday for visiting the Peony gardens; 
but 1 do wonder that we Americans, who boast of our education and refinement, should be content with the poor and commonplace bedding 
plants usually seen in our gardens, when such superb floral creations as Japanese Tree Peonies are to be had at a small cost. 1 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 Peony is its only cost, and it increases in size and beauty year after year, so that a plant that may have 
cost only fifty cents when purchased may become one in a few years that one would hesitate to accept twenty-five dollars for. Such a plant 
s the Tree Peony. 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 Peony 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 
soason 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 Peonies must not be confused with common herbaceous Peonies, 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. 
i smallest 
becomes 
Any 
dressing; but it should remain undisturbed as much as possible and be allowed to mature its shoots, which year by year add to the size of the plant until it 
becomes the grandest object in the garden. Watering well before and during flowering greatly assists in the production of large, shapelv 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 hardy but 
whoro 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 June.” 
I have a set of Japanese water-color drawings of these Peonies, which will be sent for examination on receipt of twenty-five cents to 
cover postage. These drawings must be returned, but if Peonies are ordered the amount sent for postage will be allowed on the nrice of 
the Peonies. 1 
Fine blooming plants in 25 choice varieties, $1 each, $10 per dozen; extra selected blooming plants in 25 choice varieties, $1.50 
each, $15 per dozen. 
A limited number of large specimen plants at $4, $5, $f> and $7, according to size. These are fine varieties grown on their own roots 
and especially desirable. 
Named Varieties of Tree Peonies are grafted on a common single sort. Care must be taken to remove all suckers below the graft, or 
they will choke the choice variety out in a few years. 
