128 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
The Marvelous Advance In Peonies 
By C. S. Harrison, York, Nebraska. 
Twenty years ago it was hard to sell a peony. People 
(lid not know what they were. As soon as they ere in¬ 
troduced to the modern peony, they bought it. 
At first they associated it with the old ill smelling thing 
our grandmothers raised. 
When the flr.st edition of the Peony Manual was issued, 
[leople began to take notice. One wealthy man bought 
$150 worth; another $250, and so it went. Three edi¬ 
tions have been issued and the papers have taken the 
matter up, and two years ago one nursery had to turn 
down a call for 35,000 from one firm. 
Sixty years ago there were about fifty named sorts— 
now there are over 2000, and more being added every 
year. 1 
It is interesting to note the methods of originating new 
sorts. 
Some young peonies , are dishonest, they do not keep 
their promise. I have had glorious double ones revert to a 
worthless single. A beautiful golden one dropped down 
to a muddy yellow. They must he confirmed by years of 
trial before they are given to the public. 
Among our originators, the United States is fast forging 
to the front. Many of exquisite beauty come from 
France, but we are proud of our home successes. 
Richardson, of Boston, has given us some very fine 
ones. Rosenfield now of Omaho, gave us Golden Har¬ 
vest, which is a prolific bloomer and extremely hardy 
even in Manitoba. 
T. C. Thurlow, of We.st Newbury, Mass., was the first 
to write a magazine article to call attention to this radiant 
flower. He had a splendid collection. About eighteen 
years ago, a representative of a wealthy man in Illinois 
came sauntering through his grounds, looked at the 
stakes, asked a few questions. Then he asked w^hat will 
you take for the lot?” “$7,000” said Mr. Thurlow. 
“Fll take them,” said the man. There were t^\ o carloads 
of them. 
Then Mr. Thurlow cleared the decks for action, and 
determined to have one of the world’s finest collections. 
He gathered from Europe and America and commenced 
raising from seed. 
Several years ago I visited him when thousands of seed¬ 
ling peonies were in bloom. It was a maiwelous sight. 
He selected but a few out of those thousands. Among 
them is “Cherry Hill.” which his sons are now selling for 
$30 a root, and they are selling too. 
Rut probably the largest propagating enterprise is at 
Fanhault, Minnesota, where for twenty years the Rrand 
Nursery has given close attention to developing new var¬ 
ieties. 
I saw manv of them exhibited side bv side with the 
«- «. 
choicest imported varieties and they did not sufCer in com¬ 
parison. 
Mary Rrand, named for the mother, is proliably the 
largest and most beautiful red in existence. This sells 
for $15. Prince of Darkness and Midnight are dark red. 
These run at two dollars each. 
Elizabeth B. Browning is a glistening white of immense 
size, is $25. These prices seem enormous but they are 
selling rapidly. 
It is a case of thoroughbreds and scrubs. Thorough¬ 
breds cost the most but are the cheapest in the long run. 
Many sorts will double every year. That gives you 
250 in ten years, original cost reduced to ten cents each. 
But we are not to forget the old favorites, grand and 
queenly, Festiva Maxima, sixty years old, has been 
worth millions, and still is in great demand. Umbellala 
Rosea, a variegated rose is the earliest of the newer fam¬ 
ilies, on hand in Nebraska to serve for Decoration day. 
Madam de Vernevill is a beauty. Edulis Superba will 
always have a place. Duchess de Nemours, large white 
with greenish reflex will always be welcome. Baroness 
Schroder used to sell for $5.00, sweet and beautiful as 
a rose, yet such a fine multiplier it is now down to $1.00. 
The old and loved standbys can generally be had at from 
25 to 50 cents. 
Remember our slogan, “Beauty is wealth,” raise a lot 
of it and be rich. A peony is worth more than a potato, 
and an iris more than a hill of beans. 
Card indexes, typewriters and neiu fangled inventions 
Are only for the foolish and rich, 
Don’t attend conventions or have progressive intentions 
They lead to bankruptcy and sich. 
