r ®I|e ^. p. pm pbrary S011 44658 T This book is due on the date indicated below and is subject to an overdue fine as post ed at the circulation desk EXCEPTION: Date due. Yl^Fn earlier if this item is RECALLED. | APR 2 '« «9S 150M/01 -92-941 680 J ^ PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN THE LITTLE GARDEN SERIES Edited by Mrs. Francis King THE LITTLE GARDEN By Mrs. Francis Kivo VARIETY IN THE LITTLE GARDEN By Mrs. Francis King PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN By Mrs. Edward Harding (Other volumes in preparation) A planting- of peon'ie.s at Burnley Farm Clipped lilac-hedge overtopped by Eleagnus angusti/olia THE LITTLE GARDEN SERIES PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN BY MRS. EDWARD HARDING General Editor MRS. FRANCIS KING With Ilkistrations THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY PRESS BOSTON COPYRIGHT 1923 BY ALICE HARDING PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA EDITOR'S PREFACE The rapidly growing fame of the modern peony is stimulating great interest among gardeners. Shows exclusively devoted to the peony are being held with frequency in many places, and nurserymen are offering much longer lists than formerly. This increasing interest brings in its train a spirited demand for information regarding the peony — its cor- rect cultivation and the special qualities of different varieties. Here is a glorious flower fitted for widespread planting. The peony in the farm dooryard, the peony in the tiny garden of a house in a little town ■ — how steadily it grows ! How surely it opens its sumptuous flowers in spots to which — too often — it and it alone gives interest and beauty ! When Mrs. Edward Harding's brilliant work, The Book of the Peony, appeared six years ago, it not only was the first book on the subject, but it created a great interest in a flower previously little known in litera- ture and far too little known to the average gardener. The peony has been Mrs. Harding's great enthusiasm for years. This pleasure she has endeavored to put into the lives of other gardeners who may not yet have tasted it. I remember writing to the author of that book, then a stranger to me, of the delightful and stimulating qualitj^ of her pages. I know well that thousands of gardeners will get from this, Mrs. Hard- ing's latest book, not only the information they need concerning the peony, but such inspiration as will bring the peony into numbers of borders where hitherto it has been unknown. Mrs. Harding's thorough knowledge of the peony from long growing and observation in her own garden, her critical taste, and her fine and lively style of writing, will give the owners of this book not only the best possible guide in peonies for their own gardens, but a capital addition to their garden libraries. With this book any one can order roots judiciously, plant intelligently, compare, collect, cut, show, and — best of all — enjoy the peony to the utmost. I must stress the fact that Mrs. Harding writes out of an experience of years, not only with peonies, but with other flowers — among them irises, lilacs, and lilies. Her garden contains the choicest varieties of all of these. From her peony collection others in various parts of the world have been enlarged and their owners have been stimulated by that de- lightful sharing which brings happiness to giver and receiver. Collec- tions of peony roots have gone from Mrs. Harding's garden to the Bronx Botanical Gardens, New York City; to the Royal Horticultural Society, f^R.n(^2 vi EDITOR'S PREFACE Wisley, England; to Botanical Gardens in Melbourne and Adelaide, Australia, in New Zealand, and in the Republic of Colombia. One of her ideas, in giving roots to foreign countries, is that experiments may be made in places where the peony is seldom cultivated or has not yet been tried. In some of these experiments the Botanical Gardens are essaying to succeed through the altitude, where latitude would of itself forbid. Mrs. Harding has given prizes in the United States and m France — among prizes for other flowers — for the peony, and has given three cups to the Royal Horticultural Society, England, for the best peonies to be exhibited m 1924, 1925, and 192C, respectively. Resisting the temptation to show her own fine flowers, — for Mrs. Harding does not exhibit, — -she thus prefers to provide awards for others to take. Numer- ous talks to garden clubs have been among her activities. She is con- tinually engaged in making a collection of the rarest and best varieties of peonies, maintaining and propagating them in her own garden. A natural result of this devotion to the peony is that M. Lemoine has named for Mrs. Harding both a peony and one of his famous lilacs. As a further recognition of her work and of her interest in horticulture in France, an honorary membership in the Societe Centrale d'Horticulture de Nancy has been conferred upon her. The entire frankness of Mrs. Harding's comments on all peonies de- scribed in this book is a welcome, a refreshing thing. Here we have the truth about the peony as an experienced, acute, and discriminating amateur sees it. A degree of courage is required for the setting down of adverse opinions concerning certain varieties; but Mrs. Harding's ver- dict will be of very great value to those putting money into the more expensive kinds of this flower. I congratulate readers of this book on the possession of the best and clearest popular guide yet written on the peony : a book founded on fine experience, edged by a delightful critical taste, uncolored by any per- sonal leanings, entirely dispassionate in comparisons, readable and practical on every page. Louisa Yeomans King. FOREWORD Of the eighteen or more species of peonies, only a few are commonly found in gardens. The three showiest species, Pseonia officinalis, P. suf- fruticosa (the Moutan or tree peony), and P. albiflora (P. sinensis) are the ones most largely employed. Years ago, before the development of P. albiflora had reached its present degree of perfection, P. officinalis was the herbaceous peony oftenest planted. P. officinalis and its small number of varieties are still popular. They have a definite place and value, particularly in the mat- tet of lengthening the season of peony bloom. Nevertheless, P. offi- cinalis cannot compare with P. albiflora in importance as a garden sub- ject, either as to its variety or its gorgeous appearance. The tree peony or P. moutan (P. suffruticosa) is a woody species of great beauty and desirability. But it has not been treated in this book for several reasons. In the first place, plants of P. moutan are scarce and difficult to secure. Secondly, they are expensive. Thirdly, their season of bloom is so much shorter than that of the selected and com- bined varieties of P. albiflora that for use in the average little garden they are not as practical. Fourthly, they require somewhat greater care and are harder to increase. They are perhaps more appropriately placed in the garden containing a collection of peonies, or in a large garden where there is room and to spare. Hybrids and half -hybrids of these species, including Lemoine's felic- itous Wittmaniana hybrids (P. albiflora x P. Wittmaniana) and the amazing yellow-flowered tree-peonies (P. lutea x P. suffruticosa) origi- nated by Lemoine and by Professor Henry, are most ornamental. But they are so new, scarce, and high-priced that their general purchase is precluded. The less spectacular species, with the exception of the dainty P. tenui- folia, are not often grown save in botanical gardens and by collectors. In this book I have considered only P. albiflora, or, as it is commonly called, the Chinese peony (P. sinensis). Among the several species it is the one generally meant to-day when speaking of peonies for the gar- den. This species, in its conspicuous beauty, ease of handling, and large variety corresponds to that section of the iris known as the tall-bearded. It is the ideal species for growing in the little garden, where space and sometimes expense are to be considered. The peony is preeminently a cold-climate flower. It reaches its high- viii FOREWORD est perfection in northern countries. In the United States it succeeds best north of the fortieth parallel : which is — roughly — about the location of Washington, D. C. South of that line some difficulties at- tend the cultivation of the peony. The lighter soils of the South are not so congenial to it, nor does it accept gracefully the greater heat. When it is desired to grow the peony in the far South, individual conditions must be evolved if the plants arc to prosper. These conditions include: the selection of early-flowering and robust varieties, special points in transplanting, and careful study of the composition of the soil. North of the fortieth parallel, the cultivation of the peony is a far less trying affair. The cultural information given in this book is gener- ally applicable throughout the United States and Canada. There will be found in this widespread area local circumstances to which certain varieties of peonies object. For instance, a few of the new peonies of Western origination have so far shown a disinclination to adapt them- selves to our Eastern gardens. This is not to say, however, that they may not reconsider and settle down contentedly later on. Meanwhile, with a large amount of experience back of us, none need hesitate to plant this wondrous flower. For though some knowledge is necessary for encouragement, yet if all gardening were an old story to us, half of the thrill and all of the surprise would be gone. Something must be left for each one to learn for himself. One could not have a more companionable flower than the peony with which to work and to play. My lively appreciation is due to Horace Brown, Esquire, for his mas- terly drawings of roots, divisions, and seed-pods. Alice Harding. Burnley Farm July 11,1923 CONTENTS I The Little Garden and the Peony 3 II Selection of Varieties and Special Lists ... 8 III A Few of the Newer American Varieties ... 24 IV Some of the Newer French and English Varieties . 36 V Location and Soil 50 VI Planting, Cultivating, and Fertilizing .... 57 VII Root-Division and Seedlings 65 VIII Why Some Peonies Do Not Bloom .... 81 IX Diseases of Peonies 86 Bibliography 95 ILLUSTRATIONS A Planting of Peonies at Burnley Farm Frontispiece The Little Garden AT Vauvillers: March 1919 ... 4 Festiva Maxima (Miellez, 1851) . . . . . . .12 Unnamed Pink Japanese Peony of Great Beauty ... 18 Walter Faxon (Richardson) 32 Primevere (Lemoine, 1907) 40 La Fee (Lemoine, 1906) 44 Lady Alexandra Duff (Kelway, 1902) 48 Good Method of Dividing Four-year-old Root ... 68 Good and Bad Divisions of Roots 72 Perfect Seed-pod of Madame Calot 78 Baby Root Two Years from Seed 79 The tailpieces used in this volume are reproductions of drawings of peonies taken from the following old herbals: — Dorsten, Botanicon, 1540 (p. 7) ; Delechamps, Hisfoire drs Planfes, Lyon, 1587 (p. 23) ; Herbelario, Venice, 1540 (p. 35) ; Dodoens, 1616 (p. 49) ; the Dioscorides of Matthioli, Venice, 1559 (p. 85) ; New Herbal of Durantes, 1785 (pp. 91 and 95). PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN I THE LITTLE GARDEN AND THE PEONY Dear to the heart of man is the intimate in his surroundings. The Httle garden offers opportunities for affectionate understand- ing between the gardener and his work, not always in the pos- session of the owner of a large estate. In such places the numer- ous necessary retainers seem to stand in the way, be they ever so kindly and self-effacing. For to plan, to contrive, to work in one's own garden, is, after all, the greatest part of one's joy in it. It is winter as I write these words, but my mind flies forward to the spring, to those joyous days when I shall labor again in my garden with head and heart and hands. Then every thought and every effort shall be trained upon the task of the moment. But through my wotk shall pierce my enchanted senses : the sweet- smelling earth, the fragrant breeze, the exulting sunlight, will all insist upon an occasional pause that I may revel in a sheer surge of joy. The droll singing of a young robin whose changing voice is lifted in the apple tree will compel a space of rest for delighted laughter. Then to the full may I taste that "spiritual gusto which lends a savor to the meanest act of living," as Lytton Strachey has so keenly phrased it. Yes — it is good to have a garden, and it is better still to work in it. No garden can really be too small to hold a peony. Had I but LiWrary 4 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN four square feet of ground at my disposal, I would plant a peony in the centre and proceed to worship. Happily there are few gardens of such restricted area, and the opportunities to possess this lovable flower are greater than would appear at first glance. By a "little garden" I mean one ranging in size from fifty by one hundred feet to one or two acres. Notes and articles upon the peony which appear from time to time in catalogues and magazines deal frequently with large collections. Owniers of small gardens are often fearful of having insuflBcient room for this stately subject. I think that they do not realize how much pleasure comes from the possession of even half a dozen plants, or three, or two — or just one. One of the most amazingly interesting little gardens which I have ever seen was literally eight by eight feet. It was the tiny front-door plot before a cottage in Shottery. We were walking back toward Stratford on Avon after a visit to Anne Hathaway's cottage. The yellow blooms of St. John's-wort caught my atten- tion, and I stopped to examine the handkerchief of ground where- in it grew. The healthy striking foliage of tall bearded iris was plentiful, and in a corner there was a peony, — only one, — an officinalis, probably rubra plena, though the bloom had passed. It was a large plant and had surely cheered its owner for years. The peony in another tiny garden — or, to be more exact, the wreck of one — comes to my mind. In March of 1919 I had a wonderful opportunity to see the battle-fronts of Europe from Nancy to Ostend. A sadder, more appalling vision of destruction never was. Town after town was leveled to heaps of brick and dust ; tree after tree was deliber- ately sawed off and left to rot. The grapevines were pulled up, the fruit trees girdled, the land itself so shattered and upheaved that the gardener's first query was whether it could again bear crops before the lapse of many years. THE LITTLE GARDEN AND THE PEONY 5 We had left Amiens one Sunday morning, and passing Villers- Bretoneaux — where the AustraUan troops and some Ameri- can engineers had made the stand that saved Amiens and the Western Hne — had gone through Hamelet, Hamel, Bayonvil- lers, Harbonnieres, and Crepy Wood to Vauvillers. As the only woman in the party, I had been unanimously appointed in charge of the commissariat. It was noon when we reached Vau- villers. I chose a broken wall about fifty feet from the road as a good place on which to spread our luncheon. The car was stopped, the luncheon things were unpacked, and we picked our way over the mangled ground to the fragment of wall. As I passed around the end I came upon two peony plants pushing through the earth. Tears brimmed. I could not control them. Here had been a home and a cherished garden. As I stood gazing at the little red spears just breaking tlirough the ground, a voice, apparently from the sky, inquired whether Madame would like a chair. Looking along the wall I saw the head of an old peasant woman thrust through a tiny opening. She smiled and with- drew, appearing a moment later with a chair. It was her only chair. She then brought forth her only cup and saucer, her only pitcher filled with milk, and offered us her only hospitality ! Joined now by her venerable husband, we listened to their story. The hiding of their few treasures, the burial of their bit of linen, their flight toward Paris, the description of the outra- geous condition of the one room left for them to return to, made us burn with indignation. It was in her little garden that the peonies grew. The fruit trees and shrubs were gone, the neat garden walks were blasted into space, the many precious flowers were utterly destroyed. When she found that Madame, too, loved les belles pivoines, she urged me to take one of the only two roots she had left ! We went away leaving the old couple laden with supplies, and 6 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN I gathered from every man in our party a heavy toll of tobacco for a farewell gift of comfort. I hope she has again a little garden, with all the peonies that it will hold. The sight of a peony has an inescapable lure for me. Quite un- consciously I pause on my way, and hang over any garden fence that encloses one. I suppose that if the fences were of high boards, still I should try to glimpse the peonies within, and seek- ing a convenient knot-hole, perhaps ruin my more or less perfect profile by pressing close to see ! In a little garden of half an acre or less were originated a few of the finest peonies of to-day. I refer to the garden of John Richardson in Dorchester, Massachusetts. That garden, so small but now so famous, was the expression of good taste. Richardson insisted on having the finest variety of every kind of plant he grew. Inferior things he rigorously discarded. The list of hardy perennials which had his love and care cannot in many instances be improved to-day. He applied a high standard of selection to the peonies which he produced from seeds. The in- fluence of that little garden is beyond computation. Very clearly has it set an ideal toward which all other little gardens may well strive. In the fall of 1922, Winnipeg, Canada, made a concerted ef- fort to beautify the city. It adopted the peony as its civic flower, and started a campaign to plant a peony in every garden and yard. Professor Broderick writes me that the effort met with splendid success, and that thousands of roots were planted. No bit of land was too insignificant to do its share toward the per- manent embellishment of the town. These are but a few examples of the fitness of planting some- thing long-lived in every little garden. The peony is appearing more often, not only in our gardens, but in books. I have read lately of several heroines whose cheeks THE LITTLE GARDEN AND THE PEONY 7 "mantled" or "blushed" or "burned" like a peony. It always used to be like a rose. When a flower once enters into the litera- ture of a people, it may be safely held to be a part of that nation. The fleur-de-lis, the rose, the thistle, the acacia have become national symbols. In a time not far away perhaps the peony will connote America, with a plant in every garden, big and little, and a place in every heart. n SELECTION OF VARIETIES AND SPECIAL LISTS Even before he prepares the ground, the prospective buyer of peonies wishes to know what to select. The uses to which he will put his plants, the number his available space will hold, the amount of money which he is willing to spend on roots, are all matters to be considered. ^Vllether he desire peonies for cut flowers, for garden- or landscape-effect, or for the increase of roots to sell or exchange, whether he shall buy good standard roots at low prices or the latest novelties at higher prices, are points to be well thought-out in advance. As will be seen in the little lists which are given in this chapter, a small expenditure of money may provide an estimable collec- tion. Since peonies range in price from fifty cents to fifty dollars or more apiece, upon the wise choice of the right peonies for his purpose depends the garden-owner's degree of pleasure in their possession. The collection and comparison of catalogues issued by growers who specialize in peonies will give the beginner a fairly compre- hensive idea of the best available material. It is the day of good catalogues. Well-printed and well-illustrated booklets on bulbs, irises, dahlias, roses, and peonies are being issued by specialists. Most of them are convenient to use; a few of them are things of beauty ; and all of them contain much information. This information varies a good deal. Some of it is admirable. Some of it is far from good. Out of six catalogues, chosen at ran- dom from the many which have come to me this winter (1922- 23), three give the dangerous advice to mulch peonies with VARIETIES AND SPECIAL LISTS 9 manure. In a catalogue which is issued by a house making a specialty of peonies, the gardener is told to mulch with three or four inches of coarse manure after planting. He is further in- structed to cut off the foliage in the fall, to throw it back upon the beds, and to supplement that protection with another dress- ing of manure. Shade of Doctor Paeon ! What a prescription ! The information as to the depth at which peonies should be planted is also in many cases extraordinary. Without mention of differences in soils, the amateur is told to plant his peonies four inches deep, or three or two inches deep, or even barely to cover the crown with earth. Chapter vi, on Planting, Cultivating, and Fertilizing, will give the cautious reader better information on these points. Refer- ence is made to them here merely to show that unquestioning reliance upon all parts of all catalogues is not wise. With the ratings of excellence now given in many catalogues I do not always agree. In my opinion the averages have too often been made upon too small a number of votes. The appraisement of a peony is partly a matter of taste and partly a matter of experience. It depends somewhat upon the adaptability of the variety mentioned to the part of the country in which it is grown. The descriptions of the flowers, however, are — as a rule — good. In a few catalogues they are full and carefully exact. While perfection is not for this world, and while the opinions of the expert professionals and the expert amateurs may not al- ways agree, the fact remains that these booklets are a great help to the beginner, and a convenient form of reference for the more experienced. The houses putting them out are entitled to praise. From those catalogues that have unusually full descriptions the beginner should make his lists. He should ponder upon them, alter them, discard them, and then start anew. 10 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN The making of lists is a gardening-exercise in which there is ever fresh interest, mingled with excellent mental training. The alluring descriptions are studied, the arguments for and against each peony examined, and a final decision is given. One cannot begin too early to acquire the list-making habit. Once acquired, it gives endless pleasure and profit. Each year the observant gardener's horticultural education broadens, the peonies more clearly exhibit their characteristics, and garden needs vary. With all his knowledge and experience, even M. Lemoine, after a delightful chat upon peonies a short time ago, inquired the names of my favorite six and made a note thereon. So we could go on almost indefinitely with the fascinating game of list-making. After a while one begins unconsciously to check up garden-friends according to their likes and dislikes in the peony world. Has not the same taste in wall paper often afforded the basis of a lasting friendship ? And shall we not find enthusiasm for certain flowers a subtle exposition of taste and character ? In the case of a large number of varieties, there is only uni- versal accord. Among the connoisseurs, Le Cygne and Festiva Maxima are conspicuous examples of this. On the other hand, there is diversity of thought in regard to the ranking of some ad- mittedly fine peonies — Therese, James Kelway — and absolute disagreement as to the value of certain of the recent introduc- tions, such as Jubilee and Elizabeth Barrett Browning. The alert reader will probably wish to know the peonies which I, as a devoted collector and practical gardener, consider best for certain purposes. In my estimation, the characteristics which a peony bloom should possess are well set forth in the points for judging used at VARIETIES AND SPECIAL LISTS 11 shows. ^ But there are some faults so serious from the standpoint of practical gardening that they outweigh the good points of an individual flower. Shy blooming and weak stems are among them. It will be seen that the scale of points omits — perhaps neces- sarily — general habits of growth, such as erectness of bearing, floriferousness, and rapidity of increase. These qualities cannot appear on the show-bench, and in the case of scarce and rare varieties, examples are often not easily available for judging in the field in conjunction with judging at shows. The prejudiced estimate of the dealer with a large stock to sell, or the fond eye of the originator easily overlooks these shortcomings. They are seldom mentioned in either catalogues or garden-magazine arti- cles. They are best presented by one who is not in the business, and who is not launching any originations. The temptation to regard one's own geese as swans remains universal. Here, then, are a number of short lists for various purposes, compiled from my own experience in growing peonies for years. All of the peonies in the lists are of value. Even with the rap- idly increasing number of new varieties which are offered each season to the collector, it will be a long time before those enumer- ated are surpassed or even equaled. If, however, after growing any of these varieties long enough to get typical blooms, the mild-eyed reader finds that he yearns for wider experience of his very own, assuredly let him indulge his yearning. After all, one 1 Scale of points used by American Peony Society in judging: — Color 25 Form 15 Size 15 Distinctiveness 15 Substance 10 Stem 10 Odor 10 5 for blooms without odor; for blooms with bad odor 12 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN of the things for which we are in this world is to experience ex- perience ! Meanwhile, these selections will truly delight his heart, beau- tify his garden, and prove to be no mean asset in the gentle art and diversion of exchanging. Little Lists for Little Gardens inexpensive varieties White Couronne d'Or Duchesse de Nemours Festiva Maxima Madame Crousse Marie Lemoine Monsieur Dupont Yelloui-tinted Duke of Wellington Princess Irene Solfatare Pink Madame d'Hour Marguerite Gerard Monsieur Jules Elii Octavie Demay Souvenir de I'Exposition Universelle Triomphe de I'Exposition de Lille Red Augustin d'Hour Delachei Felix Crousse Pierre Dessert Varicolored Alexander Dumas Gloire de Charles Gombault Jeanne d'Arc Philomele With the exception of Marguerite Gerard, none of the peonies in the foregoing lists costs more than a dollar. Duchesse de Nemours, which is among the finest and most fragrant peonies, may be bought for fifty cents. As peonies grow well when planted three or four feet apart, even a little back-yard can hold a few of these showy varieties. If one selected Duchesse de Nemours, costing fifty cents, Triomphe de Lille, a fine pink which costs only seventy-five cents, and Augustin d'Hour, a magnificent large red bloom also costing only seventy-five cents, one would have, for the sum of two dollars, a striking display. It seems incredible that so much loveliness can be obtained for so little money. Festiva Maxima should be in every garden, large or small, lav- Festiva Maxima (Mielles, 1851 ) VARIETIES AND SPECIAL LISTS 13 ishly arrayed or economically furnished. It is to the peony world what Pallida Dalmatica is to the iris world — the standard- bearer of beauty, the foundation and beginning of all collections, the one variety that absolutely must not be omitted. Like many other good things in life, it is so easily within our reach that we sometimes fail to appreciate it. After a test of seventy years, Festiva Maxima remains one of the most captivating and valu- able peonies in the world. If it were a scarce or new variety, collectors would gladly pay any price to secure it. I could name several of the more recent peonies selling to-day for twenty-five or fifty dollars apiece, — a small piece, too ! — which in my judgment cannot approach Festiva Maxima for real value. Here is another selection. These varieties cost between one and two dollars apiece. White Pink Red Avalanche Albert Crousse Adolphe Rousseau Baroness Schroeder Asa Gray Eugene Bigot Madame de Verneville Madame Ducel Madame Bucquet Mme. de Verneville, an early white with a pink-tinted centre, has a true rose-odor. Baroness Schroeder and Avalanche rank among the finest whites. Asa Gray and Albert Crousse grace the most exclusive collections. The other varieties are standard and desirable. The peonies in the short lists already presented are but a few of the choice varieties available at a low price. It is not my inten- tion to give a complete list : that falls within the scope of a cata- logue or a check-list. But there are a few more to which special attention should be directed : — La Rosiere is a bonny peony which should not be disbudded. Sprays of the rather small rose-like flowers are most charming. 14 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN Eugenie Verdier — accredited to Calot but which seems to be quite unknown in France — is an exquisite and pleasing peony. It fills a place among the early varieties similar to that held among the late ones by Richardson's Grandiflora. It is par- ticularly graceful as a cut flower, for its pliant stems allow lati- tude in arrangement. Richardson's Grandiflora resembles Eugenie Verdier in color and habit of growth. Both are of a pale shell-pi;ak and both have long flexible stems, which should be but partially disbudded. Duke of Wellington is an old variety which is too often passed over. Its sulphur-and-white coloring makes it desirable as one of the few yellow-tinted peonies. On a well-established plant it produces truly handsome flowers. Alfred de Musset is another one of the older varieties which does not meet with the appreciation which is its due. It is a large white-and-flesh-colored flower, a soft, deUcate combina- tion. Solfatare deserves a special note. This peony and Primevere — which is much more expensive — are the two yellowest varie- ties yet produced in herbaceous peonies. Solfatare is somewhat capricious in its habits. It does not bloom year in and year out with the dependable steadiness of many others. It is prone to bloom unevenly on the individual plant. Nevertheless, it is a lovely flower and important because of its fine color. I see that some of the commercial growers consider that Solfatare is over- rated; but as long as Primevere remains at six dollars a root, and Laura Dessert — the new yellow herbaceous peony — costs ten or fifteen dollars a root, Solfatare will be a variety which may not be discarded lightly. At the prices asked for the roots in the above lists, the littlest garden, run on the tiniest budget, might easily afford any or all of them to add to its attractiveness. VARIETIES AND SPECIAL LISTS 15 Among the peonies of a higher price there is a brilliant galaxy- waiting to tempt the discriminating. The owner of a little gar- den, with room but for a comparatively small number, can make this very limitation an advantage. Upon ten roots, for example, he may lavish the amount he would spend on twenty were his garden larger. In the selection of choice peonies for small plantings great care should be exercised, so that the gardener may have in his small collection variety in season and type as well as beauty. The following short lists have been prepared with this in mind. After each list are notes about those varieties which are marked with a star. These notes are on points which are not always men- tioned in catalogues. Very recent, scarce, and expensive peonies are considered in Chapter iv. A CoLLEcnoN OF Ten Choice Peonies Avalanche Mikado Festiva Maxima M. Martin-Cahuzac Grandiflora (Richardson) *Moonbeam *Mme. Emile Lemoine *Primevere *Marie Crousse Therese Mme. Emile Lemoine ranks among the very highest. As the bloom opens, it has the cream-and-blush tinting of an Oriental pearl, both exquisite and delicate. The plant should be screened or the blooms cut. M. Lemoine told me that the flowers of this variety are not very large in his garden. I have, however, often seen them of good size in this country. Moonbeam is an unusual peony which is difficult to describe. It is white, with pink-tinted guards, open, and very flat. Al- though double, the bloom is nearest in effect to a single. The twisted carpelodes and the occasional small barren carpels give 16 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN a quaint, tufted efifect. The flower reminds me somewhat of a large white Platycodon. I think that when its distinction is more widely realized it will leap into great favor. Primevere : the yellowest of the herbaceous peonies is also one of the most fragrant. Striking and ornamental in the garden, it is still more satisfying as a cut flower. Then its color is safely guarded, and its perfume fully enjoyed. Recently a new yellow peony, Laura Dessert, has been intro- duced. After careful observation of these two varieties in my gar- den, I regard Primevere as quite as good as — if not better than — Laura Dessert. Marie Crousse is one of the few "pure" pinks, a far finer color than the famed Therese. It blooms at the same time as Primevere and they should be planted next one another. This telling color-effect is one of Mrs. King's favorite combinations. Another Collection of Ten Choice Peonies Gismonda Mine. Auguste Dessert *James Kelway Milton Hill Karl Rosenfield Philomela La Rosiere Sarah Bernhardt Marie Lemoine *Some-ga-noko James Kelway is one of the peonies which is somewhat over- looked in the onrush of new seedlings and high-priced vari- eties offered to the peony -lover to-day. It has always been one of my favorites ; therefore it is with especial attention that I read a little leaflet written by Mr. W. E. Upjohn of Augusta, Michi- gan, on this peony. Referring to the rather low rating accorded to James Kelway by the American Peony Society, Mr. Upjohn says : — " While the symposium of the American Peony Association has been most helpful and stimulating in interest, even for those who for a long time have had interest in peonies, still it should not be VARIETIES AND SPECIAL LISTS 17 read as an infallible peony Bible. Many qualifying factors make for error. Not the least important is the fact that the vote of the man or woman who has and loves a few specimens is equal in the symposium to that of the man of experience with large numbers, who knows his plants both as specimens and in masses. Again, it may be that the man of larger experience underestimates a specimen because it is his habit to grow for divisions, and he chooses a light soil because this is best for his purpose. Many peonies, if not all, wall give the finest bloom in a clay loam top- soil with a subsoil of clay. Many kinds, including James Kel- way , — a most vigorous plant and a gross feeder, — give a disap- pointing bloom in soils poor in clay. "This probably explains why some people have given so low a vote in the symposium for James Kelway — to my mind one of the grandest peonies known. It has grown for me an upstanding vigorous stem between four and five feet in height, crowned with a group of five or six flowers of most enchanting beauty. It has a quality of petal which has no equal. It has the color of untouched white, and a habit of remaining only half open for a long time, when cut In the bud and kept from direct sunlight. "It may be that among the many new introductions, each with its particular champion, we are overlooking some of the older varieties of equal merit. I am standing as a champion of a peony, James Kelway, in which I have no interest other than my love for this attractive bloom. To my mind it has been given too little prominence." I agree with what Mr. Upjohn has said in this leaflet in favor of James Kelway. I also think that his point in the matter of rating peonies in the symposium referred to is well taken. Some-ga-noko, a handsome crimson "Jap," is compelling. Although the demand for singles and Japs is spreading rapid- ly, the number of eligible varieties is somewhat limited. The 18 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN Japanese type of peony is most acceptable for garden effect. These peonies are usually less delicate in color than the rare new ones of rose type, and as their petals are not so many or so large, they hold themselves erect more easily. This reference to the small number of excellent Japanese vari- eties reminds me that I have in my collection one of such exceed- ing brilliancy that my guests never fail to see it a long way off, and to rave over it in detail when at last they reach it. It is a large flower. The petals and part of the filaments are the vivid color of dead-ripe currants, an exceptional shade. The broad- ened anthers and the edges of the filaments are bright yellow. The effect is enrapturing. But this charmer has no name. The label must have been lost during the journey from Japan. I have tried in vain to identify it, or to find a similar plant where the name was known. Perhaps someone who reads these lines can help me. A Third Selection of Ten Choice Peonies *Alpheus Hyatt M. Dupont Baroness Schroeder Moonbeam *Gismonda Primevere Grover Cleveland Reine Hortense King of England *Suzette Alpheus Hyatt is one of John Richardson's fine seedlings. Less well known than Walter Faxon, Milton Hill, and Grandi- flora, it is beginning to receive the appreciation which it de- serves. Four years ago I bought it for one dollar a root. To-day I note that it is listed by some dealers at five dollars. Its soft rose-pink color is unusually lasting, even when unscreened in the garden. The flower is large, double, and flat. It equals — and in the opinion of many it surpasses — Elwood Pleas, a recently in- troduced variety which is much more expensive. Gismonda is another fine peony which has been left too long Unnamed pink Japanese peony of g-reat beauty VARIETIES AND SPECIAL LISTS 19 in the background. The petals are of great substance and the extremely fragrant flower lasts well when cut. The coloring is most attractive. The upper part of this globular peony is deep flesh-pink. The lower half is flushed pale rose. The line of divi- sion between the two colorings is so distinct in some seasons that each bloom seems to be composed of two flowers. Suzette : this is a stunning garden-subject. The plant is cov- ered with brilliant rose-pink flowers of striking individuality of form. It has an eager air of gayety and liveliness that is particu- larly endearing. The lists I have given above contain but a few of the many ex- quisite peonies which are at the command of the discriminating gardener. These varieties have been selected with the aim of giv- ing in each list diversity in types, colorings, and seasons, com- bined with reasonable expenditure. At the same time, any one of these lists may be confidently used as the delightful beginning of a collection. In the thoughts of many people the peony is associated either with unpleasant odor or total lack of odor. A number of the old- est varieties, particularly the red ones, do have an unpleasant soapy smell. But the modern peonies have acquired fragrance as well as increased beauty. The further away from the single in type, the greater the likelihood of fragrance, particularly among the pinks and pale-colored peonies. In the process of doubling, the red varieties have in many cases lost their unpleasant odor, while one of the new and expensive reds, Philippe Rivoire, is posi- tively sweet-smelling — an unusual departure for a red. The perception of odor is an individual affair. Different noses have different standards and degrees of efficiency. The peonies in the list below appeal to me personally and I venture to suggest them, feeling sure that there must be hosts of flower-loving noses as nicely perceptive as mine ! 20 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN Here, then, is a short list of peonies selected for their perfume. There are many more ; but these are in my opinion valuable not only for their fragrance, but for their desirability in other ways. A Short List of Fragrant Peonies Albert Crousse La Fee Asa Gray La France Avalanche La Perle Baroness Schroeder *Mme. de Verneville *Duchesse de Nemours Mme. Emile Lemoine Gismonda Octavie Demay Grandiflora (Richardson) *Philomele James Kelway Primevere *Kelway's Glorious *Splendida Duchesse de Nemours is one of the most intoxicatingly sweet peonies we have. Even when the flower is full blown and ready to drop to pieces, the wonderful perfume persists. Kelway 's Glorious stands high in the list. Its fragrance has played no small part in giving this peony the rank it holds to-day. Mme. de Verneville has the rose's essence. Blindfolded, one could not distinguish between them. Baroness Schroeder also has the odor of the rose, and Festiva Maxima has it, but in a lesser degree. Philomele, one of the best of the tricolored peonies, has the heavy deliciousness of the mock orange. Calot named this seed- ling of his "the nightingale." Perhaps its redolence brought to his mind the story of Philomele singing in the moonlit Thracian thickets abloom with the native mock-orange. Splendida : this strong-growing and free-blooming violaceous pink peony is ambrosial and distinct. The flower seldom keeps well when cut, so the flowers are best left to perfume the garden. With the exception of Splendida, however, all the peonies in the above list not only are valuable for their fragrance, but are VARIETIES AND SPECIAL LISTS 21 excellent for cutting. I will give here the names of a few varieties seen only at their best when opened in the house, and the two lists can be used together as a brief catalogue of peonies for cutting. A Short List of Delicately Beautiful Peonies for Cutting Eugenie Verdier *Mireille Frances Willard Mme. Calot Gillette Mme. Jules Dessert La Lorraine Mrs. C. S. Minot Le Cygne Solange *Marie Crousse Souvenir de Louis Bigot Martha Bullock *Therese Milton Hill *Walter Faxon The selection of peonies for use as cut flowers naturally in- cludes those of the most delicate coloring, whose beauty is soon- est lost in the light of the sun. Many of the newest and most ex- pensive varieties fall within this category. I would not imply that some of the stronger colors are undesirable for decoration in the house; but those listed above are among the ones which must be opened or partly opened in shade and comparative coolness in order to secure their full perfection. Marie Crousse, Therese, and Walter Faxon will not endure much of the sun's heat or light. They not only fade but also flag or wilt. I have found that the lovely Therese is a bit " soft " even in the house. Walter Faxon, however, makes an ideal cut- flower and lasts for days in increasing beauty. Mireille is at its best in a cool and rainy season. Then it opens its gorgeous solid flowers of ivory, tinted in the centre with the faintest rose-color. So fine a peony is Mireille under sympathetic conditions that one forgives its failure in hot and sunny weather. Comments on Mrs. C. S. Minot, Solange, and Souvenir de Louis Bigot will be found in the next chapter. One more list should be presented to the appreciative flower- 22 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN lover — a list containing the choicest single and Japanese pe- onies. A few of these should be in every garden. A selection of the two types alone would be of interest in a little garden. Here are some of the best ones. A Little List of Single and Japanese Peonies Japanese Singles Ama-na-sode La Fiancee (Dessert) Fuyajo Marguerite Dessert Mikado Moonbeam O. Fuji Nellie Some-ga-noko Pride of Langport Tora-no-maki The Moor Ama-na-sode is the handsomest pink Japanese peony I have ever seen. The flowers are of great size and the shade of pink is close to that of Souvenir de Louis Bigot. So striking is the eflFect of a well-established plant of Ama-na-sode that the beholder in- variably says : "Oh, where did you get that peony ? I must have one ! " Fuyajo has the deepest red of all the Japanese peonies. Not- withstanding the fact that the petaloids are touched with white, the general effect is extremely dark. This variety is one of ex- ceeding richness. Although it is scarce, it should be secured if possible. Tora-no-mald : this is a white variety which I like very much. It so closely resembles the scarce and expensive Isani Gidui that some experts see no difference between them. They may be the same thing, for there is great confusion in the names of the Jap- anese varieties. Tora-no-maki is a profuse bloomer, and on a well-established plant the flowers are quite six inches in diameter, which is fairly large for peonies of the Japanese type. Moonbeam has been described earlier in this chapter. It is here classed with the singles for convenience, and because it should be included in any collection of distinction. VARIETIES AND SPECIAL LISTS 23 Nellie and Marguerite Dessert are two of the largest and most pleasing pink singles among albiflora peonies. Both are scarce and rather expensive, but well worth searching for. Pride of Langport is also a large and glowing pink, but of a different hue. Ill A FEW OF THE NEWER AMERICAN VARIETIES Within the last five years a veritable avalanche of new peonies has been introduced, named, and placed on the market at high prices. Many of these do not come up to varieties already in commerce. Some are improvements upon those we previously had. A few are superb — distinct and admirable acquisitions. The raising of peonies from seeds not only is a delightful pas- time, but holds possibilities of wonders yet to be developed. It is important work, which is not to be discouraged. The thing that should be discouraged, however, is the introduction of any seed- lings which are not superior — or at least equal — to the finest peonies now in our possession. The Federal Horticultural Board states that Quarantine No. 37 was imposed in order to protect American agriculture, horti- culture, and fruit-growing from the destructive insect- and fungus-pests of other countries. Among many items, this quar- antine — effective June 1, 1919 — forbids the importation of peonies except under certain conditions and by special permits. Unfortunately this quarantine operates like a protective tariff, of which fact some growers and dealers seem to be taking advan- tage. As importation is accomplished only with difficulty, the prices of all kinds of nursery stock in this country are soaring.^ ^In one of the trade papers a well-known professional is recently (1922) reported to have declared that some nursery products have now been increased from 150 to 400 per cent above pre-quarantine days. In the same paper the re- port of a certain new ruling of the Federal Horticultural Board, which will for a period of three y(;ars admit to this country certain bulbs, is headed : "Amateurs Favored. Trade Threatened in New Bulb-Ruling." These items are interesting reading. They throw a side light upon the mental processes of some professionals ! AMERICAN VARIETIES 25 In these higher prices the older and established varieties of peonies are included, while new and frequently inferior seedlings are offered for sale at a pretty penny, with clamorous stress on the fact that they are "American productions." It is true that interest in the peony is spreading rapidly, and that the demand for fine peonies is therefore increasing. It is also true that labor is more expensive than it was a few short years ago. These things account for the much higher prices asked for established varieties, which cannot, as heretofore, be imported in quantity to supply the demand. But that new varieties, originated in this country, which fall far short of what we already have, should be put on the market at top prices seems to me to verge upon the disingenuous. The mere fact that they are "new" is not enough to satisfy the discriminating. They should have great merit, both intrinsic and comparative. The amateur who is striving to collect only the best is some- what dazed. He asks himself which of those much-advertised and high-priced peonies are really equal to the fine ones already known, and upon which he shall expend his sometimes limited garden-money. The new peonies bring to mind the little girl with the curl upon her forehead. When they are good, they are very good indeed — the attainment of a degree of perfection that could only have been faintly dreamed of a hundred years ago. And when they are bad, they are more or less "horrid," and should not, in my opinion, be offered for sale at any price. As I write, I think of a certain peony which has been recently introduced. It is what John Richardson would have called "gizzard color," To me it looks "blue in the face," a frozen dirty unhappy pink that would have been better consigned to the rubbish heap. The color is similar to that of a number of the poorer old varieties : it has not even the distinction of being unique in its ugliness. One wonders what on earth im- 26 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN pelled the grower to select such a thing to go forth as worthy of his name. Occasionally such gems as Mrs. C. S. Minot, Mrs. Edward Harding, Rose Shay lor, Frances Willard, Martha Bullock, and President Wilson — to name a few examples — are evolved and offered to the delighted connoisseur. All of these are American productions of the best quality. The men who have worked to create them are entitled to the greatest praise. If, in the selection of new seedlings to be named and placed in commerce, an equally high class were always maintained by every originator, it would be better in every way for the garden-lover, and for the fame of the peony. It must be admitted that the modern American growers are the greatest oflPenders in this matter of putting out new things that do not measure up. Kelway, in England, too, has sent out many peonies far, far below his best. French growers have been and are more exacting in their standards. Not only the lovely peonies from Lemoine and Dessert of to-day, but the fine accom- plishments of their predecessors, indicate a degree of taste and a restraint of selection for which we should be grateful. Perhaps when we have been originating peonies in this country as long as it has been done in France, we, too, shall be more conservative. Meanwhile the delight of the occupation, the thrill of achieve- ment, and the ease with which anything "new" is sold render the American growers too lenient in their judgments upon their own productions. In one or two chapters it is impossible to review all the new peonies, American, French, and English, which are on the mar- ket. But a few of the most important and widely advertised varieties should receive some attention. I here share my experi- ence and observations with other amateurs in order to assist them in selecting from the newer productions. My comments AMERICAN VARIETIES , 27 are offered with the desire to uphold the highest ideals of true worth in the peony itself. In addition to some of the latest arrivals in the peony world a number of choice varieties, a little older but still not commonly known, will be discussed. There is one serious drawback not often mentioned in connec- tion with the purchase of new and rare peonies. That is a weak- ness of the stock, which is many times the result of too frequent division. So intense is the interest of amateur collectors, and so keen is the rivalry between dealers and growers to obtain the latest, that the roots are cut and recut up to the limit of possi- bility. This fine division is practised by some dealers year after year, with the result that the varieties so treated are much en- feebled. This is an important reason why the intending pur- chaser should, before buying the costliest peonies, seek infor- mation as to which varieties are at present suffering from such treatment. The greatest profit is obtained in the sale of roots while they are new and in the limelight. I suppose it is human nature to take advantage of this fact ; but it is most unfair to the peonies, and somewhat rough on the purchaser, that the roots should so often be minced to the point of exhaustion before the collector can secure them. In the end, the dealers themselves will suffer. A slower distribution of novelties would give the stock a chance to keep its strength. A smaller profit, based on a steady demand through future years, would in every way seem more sensible. Many of the recent and widely advertised peonies have come from the West. Mr. Brand, of Faribault, Minnesota, made the production of new varieties his great specialty. Out of thousands of seedhngs, grown in a wholesale and most interesting way, he has selected and placed in commerce about fifty. Of these, Fran- ces Willard and Martha Bullock remain, in my opinion, his best. 28 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN Frances Willard (Brand, 1907) is very fine. In addition to the pearliness of its delicate cream-and-blush coloring it has the strength of growth which makes it valuable. The stems are stiff, upright, and able to support the large and lovely flower. The foliage is clean, ample, and ornamental. The roots increase well, and rejoice the heart of the gardener. Altogether it is satisfying and I count it one of my favorites. Martha Bullock (Brand, 1907) : this impressive peony must be established to show its full beauty. The extra-large cup-shaped flowers are a rich shade of pink throughout. The plant is natu- rally vigorous. Under good cultivation it will easily attain a height of almost five feet, with strong stems, immense blooms, and splendid foliage. Indeed, the plant is so lusty that some connois- seurs consider it coarse. One friend insists that it reminds him " of nothing so much as a head of cabbage stuck on the end of a hoe handle ! " However, that is a matter of taste ; and the fact re- mains that Martha Bullock makes a magnificent object in the garden. In my experience, the roots of this peony do not increase rapidly, but they are strong and healthy. Elizabeth Barrett Browning (Brand, 1907) : this much-adver- tised peony is beautiful but disappointing. The large and fra- grant flower is white with delicate tints of pink and yellow. The stem, however, is so weak that the flowers fall over to the ground, their faces in the dirt. The mention of this characteristic is usu- ally omitted in catalogue descriptions. The plant is not very floriferous and the roots increase slowly. No amount of poetic description can change these faults. This peony has been over- rated and overadvertised. In Mary Brand (Brand, 1907) and Longfellow (Brand, 1907) Mr. Brand has presented two red peonies of excellent color. The really good shades of red are few among peonies, and they are always eagerly sought by collectors. But in my garden Mary AMERICAN VARIETIES 29 Brand has proved to be a weak grower and shy bloomer. It evi- dently comes within the number of western peonies which are not at their best in the eastern climate and soils. Longfellow appears to have a stronger constitution than Mary Brand. For general garden-purposes, however, especially in the east- ern part of the United States, neither of these peonies can take the place of Karl Rosenfield, which is a sturdy, all-round, bright red peony, lusty and free-blooming. Jubilee (Pleas, 1908) has been one of the most widely heralded peonies of American production. This peony suffers from the same defect as does Elizabeth Barrett Browning — that is, a weak stem, which allows the flower to lie prostrate in the mud. It has been remarked that there is no universal mathematical standard of beauty. The truth of that statement occurs to me when I think of the somewhat noisy ravings over Jubilee, which have come from a few sources. In my detached and disinterested opinion this peony has been too highly extolled. Pasteur (Crousse), similar but more beautiful, is a far finer variety. The flower of Jubilee is larger than that of Pasteur, but Pasteur has better form and better stems. Moreover, — and this is a point not to be totally ignored, — Pasteur costs two dollars a root, while Jubilee is at present listed in catalogues at fifteen dollars. Elwood Pleas (Pleas, 1900) is considered by many discriminat- ing judges to be Mrs. Pleas's best peony, with Midsummer Night's Dream a close second in favor. Elwood Pleas is very large — a flat, compact rose-type peony of pale rose-color. For those who do not want to pay ten dollars for this flower, the pur- chase of Richardson's Alpheus Hyatt at three or five doUars is suggested. Midsummer Night's Dream (Pleas, 1906) has as its greatest charm the tinge of yellow in the centre of the white flower. Yel- low is so rare in the Chinese peonies that every recruit is welcome. 30 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN The Cherry Hill Nurseries are putting out a number of seed- lings, some of which have proved to be excellent. Pride of Essex (Thurlow, 1916) and Nymphsea (Thurlow, 1919) have already justly won much praise, while President Wilson (Thurlow, 1918) is gaining laurels both as a cut flower and as a garden subject. Like many other good peonies it is at its best on established plants. The cup-shaped blooms of light pink last well. The peony Cherry Hill (Thurlow, 1915) has never seemed to me to be worth the price asked for it, which is now twenty dol- lars. There are other equally handsome reds at prices much more reasonable — Adolphe Rousseau, for instance, which will grace the proudest garden for the modest expenditure of one dollar and a half. Helen (Thurlow, 1922), a recent production of the Cherry Hill Nurseries, is a taking single pink. The exceptionally long season of bloom is an especial attraction. It is extremely new, and lacks the test of time. If, on longer trial, it continues to exhibit the same high quahty, it will be a useful peony. This fledgling gives great promise, and its progress should be watched by the dis- criminating gardener. Mr. Shaylor's seedlings are fine indeed. So outstanding is their merit that they are in great demand. Mary Woodbury Shay lor (1916) has been so persistently sought that the stock has been divided too often and too closely by the dealers. This variety is somewhat spent as a result of this treatment. Mrs. Edward Harding (1918), sensationally beautiful and naturally most vigorous, is also being divided too frequently and too closely. Only in the few private gardens where this peony has fortunately been kept safe will one be able to see its allure. I have stood before a flower of this variety, cut from a four-year- old plant, and fairly gasped at the perfection of its loveliness. The well-established plant is robust and impressive. The AMERICAN VARIETIES 31 sive buds, on strong erect stems forty inches in height, expand into large flowers of ivory white. No red hnes or blotches mar the thick smooth creamy texture of the broad petals. Rose type, globular, free-blooming, vigorous — it is no wonder that con- noisseurs and collectors will pay any price to possess this re- splendent peony. Three more of Mr. Shaylor's seedlings should be mentioned here : Rose Shaylor, Doris, and Wilton Lockwood. Rose Shaylor is superb. I consider it far more engaging than the famous Mary Woodbury Shaylor. Large blooms, cream-colored, lighted with golden stamens, and often tinged throughout with pink, are held well above the foliage by tall stiff thick stems. It is an outstand- ing peony, which is certain to be keenly appreciated when it is better known. Doris and Wilton Lockwood are still so restricted in their distribution that comparatively few gardeners know of their existence. Both of these pink peonies are superior, and will be heard of later. Doris is a tall strong grower and free bloomer. The flower is cup-shaped, of a delightful pink with darker touches. It is a lovely peony. Wilton Lockwood is one of the extremely robust peonies, with thick stems and large bold full flowers. The rosy pink color is most pleasing. There are very dark crimson markings in the centre. Shaylor's Dream is not as satisfying as his other seedlings. It is practically a single flower. It is very dainty when it flrst opens, but as the bloom gets older the extremely reflexed petals cause it to lose much of its lustre. I think that the owner of a little gar- den, where space is a consideration, would be more content with any of the other Shaylor seedlings which I have mentioned. One extraordinary peony, recently placed in commerce, is 32 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN Mrs. C. S. Minot (Minot, 1914). It originated in the garden of Doctoi" C. S. Minot of Readville, Massachusetts, who was an enthusiastic amateur gardener and a devoted admirer of the peony. He planted many peony seeds. Wlien I saw his seedling plot in bloom not a great while ago, I found much to interest me. Some of these seedlings have recently been sold to a western grower, and the future may hold some pleasant develop- ments among them. So far, however, Mrs. C. S. Minot is the best one that Dr. Minot produced. It is an exquisite and distin- guished peony. The plant is usually rather dwarf, but it is also sturdy, I have had this variety in my garden for several years. Last season (1922) it surprised me by throwing up tall stems — quite half as long again as they usually grow. The effect was unexpectedly showy. The flowers are large and the coloring is fine. The guard-petals are a soft pink — rather a mauve pink — and melt into a full centre of deep cream. The petals are large throughout. The exquisite tinting, good form, and the qual- ity of lasting well make this peony a most lovely thing either in the garden or as a cut flower. Miriam (Chase, 1916) is a semidouble of a rich shade of pink, which has the desirable quality of holding its color outdoors. The petals are of excellent substance. The plant is floriferous, strong-growing, and conspicuously good in the landscape. It is one of the noticeable varieties of recent American origin. The peonies mentioned in the foregoing paragraphs are all of most recent introduction. There are a few somewhat older Amer- ican peonies which must also be considered. The seedlings of John Richardson are at last being more widely distributed, and the best of them are receiving the appreciation which is their due. Grandiflora and Milton Hill have been grown and known to a considerable extent for some time. But a closer acquaintance with that pink marvel, Walter Faxon, is compara- HIPHH ^^^K^^ ' ' jI^^^^H w ' -'^^1^1 ^K '^ ^^'^ ^'- ji RH^B ' r ^^H ^^^BI^Hi^ ^ *Mm p^- ^^^H ^^^^^^5 - '>^^ ^B'»; ,^^ H|:/\;<; ^^ 'flB ^^^B' ' '9^1 Ja/u< Kkhardson' s Walter Fcwon (Vase — fifteen inches high — made at Dorchester, Mass.) AMERICAN VARIETIES 33 lively recent. Here is the most delectable hue of pink displayed by any of the peonies outside of the Moutans. Close to it in color and form and of almost equal warmth is Souvenir de Louis Bigot (Dessert, 1913). The lovely yellowish pink in these two flowers is rare among the herbaceous peonies, but is frequently found in varying degrees of intensity in the tree peonies. In my opinion Walter Faxon is the peony which, instead of Therese, is entitled to be placed with Le Cygne and Solange as "the world's best three." It surpasses Therese in point of color, and it is quite the equal of Therese in freedom of bloom and habit of growth. Large, showy, and high-class as Therese is, it cannot touch either Walter Faxon or Souvenir de Louis Bigot for gorgeousness and purity of coloring. The merits of Alpheus Hyatt have already been mentioned in Chapter ii. Another Richardson seedling which has recently come into prominence is H. A. Hagen. This peony is a strikingly clear pink which is much admired. It does not, however, compare in color with Walter Faxon. Even better than H. A. Hagen, I hke Paul Fischer. This peony also has a strong rose-pink color. In my garden the plant grows taller than does H. A. Hagen. The foliage closely resembles that of Milton Hill, which has marked personality. The foliage of many of the Richardson seedlings has a family resemblance. Milton Hill, Walter Faxon, and Paul Fischer all have leaves which are very full — as though Flora had cut out a bit too much material and had gathered it slightly when she sewed it to the frame. The effect is charming in its distinctive- ness and aids one in recognizing the plants when they are not in bloom. These six Richardson seedlings ought to be in all col- lections of any size, while any one of them would be a distinct addition to even the smallest garden. 34 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN Another American grower, George Hollis of South Weymouth, Massachusetts, who died in 1911, produced and placed upon the market a large number of seedling peonies. In spite of the fact that Mr. Hollis employed hand-pollination in his efforts to se- cure new varieties, only a few of his seedlings measure up to the high standards of to-day. He realized and admitted that the stock with which he worked was — with a few exceptions — not the best obtainable. Among the peony-growers, dealers, and specialists, there has been recently quite a flurry of excitement over the Hollis pe- onies. High prices have been placed upon some of the varieties, and a fever of enthusiasm has impelled their purchase at ab- surd rates. Edith Forrest, for instance, is listed to-day at forty dollars a root. The flower is of immense size, very deep, and much like Festiva Maxima in form, but of a dull rose-color which is not very pleasing. This flower is at its best as a show bloom, where size attracts attention and admiration. Enchantment is one of the few peonies in my garden about which I have two minds. Sometimes I think I will dispose of it entirely, because of the long bending stems which do not hold the flower as erect as I like. Then again, in a cool and rainy season the large pink blooms are so "enchanting" in color and so good for cutting, that I stay my hand, and Enchantment remains. In color it is close to Virginie. Many stamens show throughout the flower. The three most desirable Hollis peonies seem to me to be Loveliness, Jennie E. Richardson, and Maud L. Richardson. I particularly like Maud L. Richardson. The plant is one of the tallest of the herbaceous peonies. Sometimes it is well over four feet in height. The flower is large and flat, with fringy petals. The color is soft pink, paling down to white in the centre. Jennie E. Richardson, a pleasing white, is scarce. When this AMERICAN VARIETIES 35 plant is well established the flower is extra large, full, of good form, and may be ranked as a high-class peony. The variety seems to have been lost or mislaid for a while. At present it is very expensive — as much as fifty dollars a root is asked for it by the few dealers who have it. Loveliness is perhaps the best known of any of the Hollis peonies. It has been described and exhibited many times, and fully deserves the attention which has been paid to it. A large fragrant compact flower, of an exquisite shade of pink, this peony is well and appropriately named. These then are among the American peonies of outstanding merit or interest. Many more have been widely advertised and loudly praised. Some of them I have already discarded, while still others are growing in my fields, awaiting the judgment of a further test. IV SOME OF THE NEWER FRENCH AND ENGLISH VARIETIES The peonies originated by the French growers have been the model of beauty for many years. They still are. With the ex- ception of a limited number — a few from England and a few from the United States — they are as yet unapproached. An examination of the list of peonies in the best collections will reveal a preponderance of French peonies. Three growers in particular have provided us with an array of peonies which are almost faultless. I refer to M. Felix Crousse, who — retired from business — is living in Nancy at the age of eighty-two years ; to M. Auguste Dessert ^ of Che- nonceaux, whose special interest is peonies, both tree and herba- ceous ; and to M. Emile Lemoine, of Nancy, the world's greatest hybridist. While a number of important and valuable peonies were pro- duced in France prior to the time of these three men, and while a few choice varieties have been recently originated by Riviere, Millet, and others, the bulk of the finest seedlings has come from these three houses. The peonies of M. Crousse have been longer in commerce than those of M. Dessert and M. Lemoine. Because they have had more time to increase and be widely distributed they are not classed as novelties. I have men- tioned several of them in Chapter ii, which deals with many of ^ Since this chapter was written, M. Dessert has announced his retirement and the sale of his entire collection of peonies to M M. Doriat et Fils, Lapalisse (Allier), France. FRENCH AND ENGLISH VARIETIES 37 the standard varieties ; but this seems to be an opportune place to speak more in detail of the work of M. Crousse. It is noteworthy that M. Crousse never employed hand-polli- nation in the production of his lovely peonies. In my corre- spondence with him I find in one letter, sent to me a few years ago, a passage so informing that I quote it here : — "I started my first seedling about 1869. I did not then have the time to employ artificial fertilization, therefore I proceeded differently. I omitted from my collection all flowers of inferior quality, leaving only the strictest selection of the most beautiful varieties. I harvested, and sowed as soon as they ripened, all the seeds which were produced. It was always thus that I pro- ceeded whenever I wished to secure seedlings. I had at that time one of the most complete and well-chosen collections. I grew as many seedlings as possible, according to the space at my disposal. My greatest disappointment arose in the color, yellow. I had hoped some day to obtain a coloring equally as beautiful as that of the rose Marechal Niel. In this matter I had no success. The beautiful color for which I sought appears to-day in the tree peony originated by M. Lemoine." Referring to the species from which his new varieties came, M. Crousse says : "I must say that I have always placed the greatest confidence upon the seeds produced by P. albiflora. It is from that species that have come the prettiest varieties which ornament our gardens to-day." When one considers that out of about fifty-five seedlings placed in commerce by Crousse between 1873 and 1880 more than half are still considered to be of the finest quality, and that out of this number at least a dozen ^ are to be classed among the 1 Twelve of Crousse's superb peonies are : — Albert Crousse Felix Crousse Marie Crousse Asa Gray Gismonda Marguerite Gerard Avalanche La Perle M. Jules Elie Claire Dubois La Rosiere Mme. de Verneville 38 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN world's best, the achievement of M. Crousse is astounding. Quite apart from the greater excellence of the flowers, the im- portance of planting only the choicest varieties obtainable is here emphasized for all who are interested in producing new varieties. The peonies of M. Auguste Dessert, like those of M. Lemoine, are more recent than those of M. Crousse, and are therefore scarcer and higher-priced. Out of the many exquisite varieties which he has originated perhaps the most widely known to-day is Therese (Dessert, 1904). The large size and the freedom of bloom characteristic of this peony attract attention at once. The stems are stiff and erect. A well-grown plant of Therese, covered with its immense flowers of violet-rose and white, is a charming sight. The roots increase rapidly, and bear bright pink buds of unusual size. Healthy, strong, and fair, Therese is a pleasing peony. In comparison with Dessert's other produc- tions, however, it has not the place in my affections held by Souvenir de Louis Bigot or Suzette. Both of these varieties have been lately introduced. When they are more widely known, I think that they will be regarded with higher favor than is Therese. Mme. Jules Dessert (Dessert, 1909) : this is one of the most lovely of the modern peonies. The coloring is delicate and fades rapidly in a strong light. If the flower is cut just as the bud unfolds and is opened in a cool shady room, the wonderful tints of flesh, straw, and white can be seen to perfection. Its evanes- cent freshness can thus be captured for full enjoyment. The plant is strong-growing and free-blooming. The roots increase well. Raoul Dessert (Dessert, 1910) : this peony is still so recent that typical flowers are as yet hard to find even at shows. The plants from various sources seem to exhibit considerable varia- FRENCH AND ENGLISH VARIETIES 39 tion in form and color. This may be due to conditions of growth or it is possible that two different stocks are being offered to the buyer. Some blooms are compact and high built, of a clear mauve-pink splashed with darker shadings. Others are of rose or semi-rose type, more loosely arranged, and of a color ap- proaching the tone of Walter Faxon, though slightly tinged with purple. I am watching with interest the performance of this peony in my garden. It gives promise of being of impor- tance. Suzette (Dessert, 1911) : although Suzette was introduced a year later than Raoul Dessert, it is more widely known. I men- tioned this peony in Chapter ii, for its habit of increasing rap- idly has made it available among the older and less expensive peonies. Suzette's lively pink coloring is much to my taste. The flower has more substance than has Therese, and endures better the strong light of the garden. The whole plant — in bloom, foliage, and bearing — has a vivid personality. I like it well. Souvenir de Louis Bigot (Dessert, 1913) : this is a handsome peony. Its yellowish pink color approaches closely the wonder- ful pure pink of Walter Faxon. Strong stems hold the large shapely flowers well above the foliage. The plant flowers freely and regularly each year. In my garden notebook I find the fol- lowing entry made last June : " Souvenir de Louis Bigot is a real treasure. Its effect in the garden is nothing short of gorgeous." Laura Dessert (Dessert, 1913) : in Chapter ii I referred to Laura Dessert in comparison with Primevere. Although Laura Dessert is indeed a delightful peony and is considered by some growers to be the best yellow herbaceous peony, I cannot see that it is any improvement upon Primevere. Their similarity is striking. I find in my notebook under the date of 1919 the following entry : " Laura Dessert closely resembles Primevere, 40 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN but it is no better." Since then I have had no occasion to change my mind. Two varieties are being offered under this name : one rose-type with cream- white guard-petals and bright yellow centre — which is the true variety — and one with light pink guard-petals and yellow centre. Ginette (Dessert, 1915) : one of the finest of the novelties is Ginette. The large flesh-pink flower has a touch of the soft tea-color which is so entrancing in Solange. Still new and very scarce, this peony will undoubtedly be held in great favor when it is better known and when less frequent division shall give it a better chance to show itself. Jeannot (Dessert, 1918) : still more recent than Ginette is Jeannot, exquisite and delicate in coloring. There is a peculiar tinting in the centre of this flesh-pink flower which gives it much distinction. Auguste Dessert (Dessert, 1920) is a flower of unusual color — ■ perhaps bright cherry-color is the best description. The gold of stamens and occasional touches of white on the petals give bril- liancy to the general effect. These last two peonies, Jeannot and Auguste Dessert, are still such new arrivals in our gardens that the results of long test cannot be given. They are mentioned here because of their notable promise. These are only a few of the rare herbaceous peonies given to flower-lovers by M. Dessert. But even this brief survey of some of his finest productions is enough to show their quality and variety. The more I ponder upon the number of dazzling peonies from which the interested gardener can make selections after his own heart, the more amazing the achievements of the modern horti- culturists appear. In other species of perennial garden flowers one has an equally wide range of choice. Peonies, irises, and roses offer almost unlimited opportunities for the indulgence of Primevere ( Lemoine, 1907 ) FRENCH AND ENGLISH VARIETIES 41 exacting preferences. Chrysanthemums, asters, and phlox are following closely in number. And if we choose to add to these perennials the lilies, tulips, and dahlias, and above all the rich field of flowering shrubs, particularly the hybrid lilacs (syringas), there is no end to the color at our command ; so that the par- ticular hue of pink or lavender or blue or yellow which sets vibrating an uncontrollable delight within each one of us is available to every gardener, be his ground of unlimited acreage or only "a little garden, square and wall'd." Truly, to have a garden is to be happy ! It would take a large volume properly to set forth a study of the work of Emile Lemoine, the master hybridist, and of his father Victor, before him. But a few brief notes are most ap- propriate here. For over forty years has the present head of the house of Lemoine worked and studied, produced and eliminated, judged, selected, and introduced to the world of horticulture. With unflagging devotion to science, with utter loyalty to the ideals of beauty and of truth untainted by commercialism, has the work of this man gone quietly on. Such patience and high principles have had their reward in many ways : in the produc- tion of flowers of unrivaled quality and in the deathless fame which they have brought to him; in the appreciative honors bestowed upon him by his country ; in the grateful and affec- tionate esteem in which he is held by eveiy true gardener ; and last and best, in the personal satisfaction of great accomplish- ment. Many species of flowers have felt his transforming touch. Hybrid lilacs of intoxicating fragrance and bewitching variety of color and form have come from the famous house in Nancy. So, too, have the most exquisite hybrids of Philadelphus and Deutzia which glorify our gardens in the spring. Gladioli, 42 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN pelargoniums, and begonias are but a few more of the species which have answered his demand for greater perfection. The peonies from the house of Lemoine are of the same marvelous quality as their companions in that garden of magic. Writing of the parentage and remarkable color of Solange and La Lorraine, Lemoine says : "Solange has no parentage in lutea or hybrids of lutea. Possibly it has a common ancestor with the herbaceous variety. La Lorraine, but I have no proof of it. La Lorraine was first noted in 1897, while Solange ap- peared in 1901." In another letter I read the following: "The crossing of different species, herbaceous and woody, has not succeeded, with the exception of the early varieties, Avant Garde, Mes- sagere, and so forth." Here are a few of the loveliest of Lemoine's hybrids of P. albiflora : La France (Lemoine, 1901) is a tall-growing free- blooming pink peony. Its exquisite color is close to that of Milton Hill (Richardson) and Venus (Kelway). The large rose-type flowers are held well above the foliage in a striking manner. The dignity and perfection of elegance of La France are impressive. La Lorraine (Lemoine, 1901) is magnificent — the word is not too strong. It is one of the finest peonies originated by Lemoine. In height and bearing this peony resembles La France. In color — although there is some difference because of the usual absence of pink at its heart — the flower resembles Solange. La Lorraine grows to ravishing perfection in my gar- den. The large thick petals of brownish cream-color which compose the enormous blooms impelled me to make this note in my garden book : "La Lorraine is own sister to Solange !" It is somewhat taller than Solange and it has a stronger stem. True healthy stock of this variety is difficult to obtain; but FRENCH AND ENGLISH VARIETIES 43 when once the fortunate gardener has secured it, let him hold it as a priceless treasure. Enchanteresse (Lemoine, 1903) : here is another peony which is not sufficiently well known. Tall and strong-growing, it bears on stout erect stems large compact flowers of ivory white. The petals are of good substance. The blooms in my garden seldom show any crimson flecks in the centre, although light touches of red appear on the guard petals. Sarah Bernhardt (Lemoine, 1906) immediately attracts at- tention. This symmetrical plant of medium height is strong- growing and erect. It blossoms profusely. The large rounded flowers of semi-rose type are scented, and of a uniform hue of mauve-rose throughout. The catalogues usually call it an ap- ple-blossom pink, which is a very fair description, but the flower is actually a shade or two deeper in color than this expression implies. Alsace-Lorraine (Lemoine, 1906) : the coloring of this peony is unusual. It shares with La Lorraine and Solange the brown- ish-cream tint called tea-color. Claude Gelle (Lemoine, 1904) also has a bit of this rare coloring. Alsace-Lorraine has me- dium-size flat flowers with the petals placed like those of a water lily. It is tall, vigorous, floriferous, and distinct. Fre- quently I leave an entire plant with all its buds untouched. The lateral buds are graceful and charming. La F6e (Lemoine, 1906) : one of the most delightful peonies in my collection is La Fee. The sweet-smelling flower is large, with outer petals of a light rose which softens down to a white centre. It is bewitching and fairylike. The plant is free-bloom- ing and very tall — considerably over four feet when well grown. Primevere (Lemoine, 1907) has been mentioned and briefly described in Chapter ii. It is noted here again because it is 44 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN impossible to say too much in praise of this finest of the yellow herbaceous peonies. The effort to secure a good yellow is con- stantly being made. Peonies with varying degrees of yellow have been produced, but the bright golden yellow of the horti- culturist's dreams is still far off. In this connection an extract from a letter which I received from M. Lemoine three years ago is in point. "A double herbaceous peony of a true yellow does not exist, as far as I know, and it is hardly probable that it ever will exist. If Pseonia lutea, which is halfway between the woody peonies and the herbaceous peonies, had been willing to be crossed with the latter, as I have so often tried without success, one would have opportunites to secure an herbaceous peony of true yellow. However, where I have failed, it is possible that another may succeed." Coming from such a source, this opinion has weight; but efforts towards the goal will still continue, as they should. Lemoine himself would be the first to encourage them. Le Cygne (Lemoine, 1907) : to depict Le Cygne most aptly is to direct attention to the name itself, for arranged like the feathers on a swan's wing are all the curving petals of this as- tonishing flower. Symmetrical, globular, of great size, fragrant, free-blooming, and milk-white, Le Cygne stands by itself. I who love the peony so dearly, have sometimes wondered what were M. Lemoine's emotions when, in one year, he was able to present three such masterpieces as Primevere, Le Cygne, and Solange. From another of his letters I quote : " . . . this work so interesting, which, if it often gives more disappointments than successes, also gives at times personal satisfactions extremely precious." In that year, 1907, he was more than ever entitled to feel La Fee ( Lemoine, 1906 J FRENCH AND ENGLISH VARIETIES 45 "personal satisfactions" in his work. To such heights of happi- ness few may cUmb. Solange (Lemoine, 1907) : when the vision of Solange appears before me, I always feel it is impossible to do it justice. Yet clear and exact is the portrayal of Solange which I wrote two years ago : " This incredibly beautiful flower is difficult to de- scribe adequately. It is high-built, compact, and composed of large thick petals which closely overlap. The color is deep cream, tinged with amber throughout, and with a touch of soft salmon- pink glowing from its heart. This rare coloring, in combination with the heavy texture of the petalage, gives the bloom a ra- diance equaled only by pearls of finest Orient." Not without point may its musical name be freely inter- preted to mean "the chosen one," for until the lover of peonies knows Solange his life is wasted, bare, uninteresting, impover- ished, and lonely beyond all words to tell ! Alice Harding (Lemoine, 1922) : at the meeting on June 8, 1922, of the Societe Nationale d'Horticulture de France, this latest seedling of M. Lemoine's carried off the honors as the foremost herbaceous peony of French creation not yet in com- merce. I give the originator's account of it: "Peony Alice Harding is very free-blooming. It has stems which are thick, erect, tall, and well furnished with foliage. It is remarkable for the immense size of the flowers, which have large petals overlapping as in a rose. The color is flesh-white passing to cream- white." In such modest words does Lemoine portray a peony which was judged to be in the same class with Solange of unspeakable loveliness and Le Cygne of imposing presence. The roots are strong, clean, and healthy, as I noted with pleas- ure when I planted this peony in October, 1922. M. Lemoine tells me that he does not expect to place this new variety in commerce until the autumn of 1924. 46 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN The rapidly increasing interest in the peony is stimulating efforts among other French growers who have heretofore pre- sented but few seedlings. Some of these new peonies are ex- ceptional, and a number of them have been under test long enough to give a fair idea of their value. Here are a few of the most notable. Mme. Gaudichau (Millet, 1909) is a brilliant dark red of great garden value. A note in my garden book mentions the "ox-blood red" of Ridgway's Color Chart as being nearly the exact color. The bloom is somewhat loosely built and many stamens show. Quite as decorative as the flower itself is the foliage, which, from the moment it emerges from the ground, rivets the attention by its vivid redness. Stems as well as leaves have this intense coloring. As the season advances, the upper surface of the leaves becomes touched with bronze ; the stems remain red all summer. The roots multiply quickly, and the plant is of excellent habit. Mme. Joanne Sallier (Paillet) has large blooms of good rose- pink color. The flowers are held above the foliage on strong stems. It is attractive in the garden. The roots are large and strong, and increase well. Mme. Guyot (Paillet) is a light yellow peony, closely re- sembling Solfatare in color and form. The narrower central petals make the flower less beautiful than Solfatare at its best. On the other hand, Mme. Guyot is the more reliable bloomer and is earlier. Its color lasts no longer than does that of Solfa- tare. Except for the two points mentioned, in my opinion it would not be worth retaining as a novelty. The roots — which have enormous buds — increase rapidly. Mile. Jeanne Riviere (Riviere, 1908) has now been in my garden for several years. It does not appeal to me as being of the highest quality or distinction. FRENCH AND ENGLISH VARIETIES 47 Mme. Emile Dupraz (Riviere, 1911) is a full flower composed of petals of medium size. The color is an effective pink approach- ing somewhat the hue of Walter Faxon, but deeper in tone. It is a valuable acquisition among the pure pinks and for that reason will be much sought when more widely known. Philippe Ri voire (Riviere, 1911) : a conspicuous addition to the small number of good reds is Philippe Rivoire. In addition to its good form and color this peony has the fragrance of a tea rose. The variety is a strong grower. A number of other seedlings recently introduced by Riviere are being offered in this country. Two or three of them are promising, but must be tested further before a true estimate can be made. England has furnished only a fraction of the meritorious peonies which we have to-day. Of that small number, Kelway and Son of Langport have originated the larger part. One has but to turn to their catalogue issued in 1913 to realize how many peonies — both herbaceous and tree — have been put in com- merce by this firm. Unfortunately not all of the peonies named and sent out by Kelway are of the highest quality. But those which have passed the test for excellence are truly remarkable. Such varieties as James Kelway, Baroness Schroeder, and Venus are in constant demand by discerning gardeners, and their names may be found in all first-class catalogues which list the best peonies. The more scarce and expensive varieties are usually found only in the catalogues of peony specialists. As the passing seasons have proved their desirability, several of these peonies have greatly increased in cost. Kelway's Glorious (Kelway, 1909) is an extremely large peony. It is full of glistening white petals, the outer edges of which are slighty crinkled and curved inward. The outside 48 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN or guard petals are faintly flushed with pink, while — as a fur- ther addition to its deliciousness — it is fragrant to an unbe- lievable degree. The roots of this peony increase slowly. So lovely is the flower and so scarce because of its habit of leisurely root-growth, that the demand far exceeds the supply. In the past few years the price has been raised by consecutive steps from twenty to thirty-five dollars a root. Lady Alexandra Duff (Kelway, 1902) : when most lovers of peonies see or write this name, they cast a thought backward to the time when it was difficult to get it true to name. To such disappointment, expense, and general annoyance were the first importers of this peony put, that they will probably never forget it, nor forgive the extreme carelessness with which Lady Alexandra was sent out. After receiving and comparing about nine different varieties, all labeled alike, the peony enthusiasts in this country finally decided upon one pink which was thence- forth to be known as the true Lady Alexandra Duff. This is the variety offered to-day by reliable growers. Large, cup-shaped, fragrant, of a sweet and gay coloring that is most noticeable. Lady Alexandra Duff at last graces our gardens. Unlike Glori- ous, the roots of this peony increase with a fair degree of rapidity, and the robustness of the plant in general adds much to its desir- ability. Kelway 's Queen (Kelway, 1909) Is another gorgeous peony which has suffered from confusion regarding its exact identity. The true Queen is scarce, and at fifteen dollars a root the ama- teur wants to be very sure of the stock before purchasing. Miss Sal way (Kelway, 1905) is still another peony the true stock of which is hard to secure. At ten dollars a root, this variety also should be bought with care. I think that in the matter of these importations from Kel- way the growers in this country are entitled to much sym- M 7 ^^M ^^^HHh| L ' ' r* '^^ ^K^^Hl ^L ^ vi^^l L V iJI^H ^^^^^^^F % (fl ■^^^^^'^^il ^jfgr '^■-^^^^B ^1^ t vliJlr''*''^^^^| ■1 L 1 ■■ ' Mnm FRENCH AND ENGLISH VARIETIES 49 pathy. The delays, uncertainties, and exasperations in the mat- ter of straightening out trueness are still many, in spite of the fact that these peonies have been on the market for several years. This list of new and scarce peonies does not by any means embrace all that are offered, or are available to the enthusiastic garden-maker ; but it is intended to be a guide in selecting pe- onies not commonly seen in gardens, with frank notes of criti- cism from one who has spent much effort to secure the best and most interesting specimens. LOCATION AND SOIL Quite as important in the little garden as in the big one is the selection of a suitable location for the peony. Open sunlight or light shade for a part of each day is neces- sary to a full development of the plants. Many a little garden contains at least one peach-tree. Some- times there are several. In my own experience I have found that peach trees make ideal protection for peonies. The roots of peach trees are not too greedy ; they do not spread out and occupy every available foot of ground between the trees : consequently sufficient nourishment and moisture are left for the support of the peonies. Peach trees planted twenty or twenty-five feet apart each way, the usual distance in an orchard, do not exclude sunlit spaces. The shade of a peach tree is not too dense at any time, and the small area of shadow cast by each tree shifts with the progress of the sun. Thus enough sunlight is allowed to reach the plants. At the same time this protection tempers the intense heat which comes — too often — just when our finest peonies are at their height, and saves the delicate colors from being bleached out to an uninteresting white. Many of the choicest peonies have pale tints upon which they depend not only for their beauty but also for their differ- entiation from other light-colored varieties of the same type. As soon as this tinting is destroyed, the flower resembles a hun- dred others, and its chief claim to distinction is gone. The light moving shadow cast by these small fruit-trees is therefore excellent for peonies. Then, too, the peach trees are cultivated regularly, which is helpful, and the combination of LOCATION AND SOIL 51 peaches and peonies is suitable because peaches also thrive and give extra fine and deliciously juicy fruit when planted in clay soil. This planting on our place is most successful. Thousands of blooms are cut from these peonies each year. In a little garden, if there can be no opportunity of utilizing even a few peaches, other trees should be avoided as near neigh- bors of the peony. They are usually trees such as maples, beeches, and oaks, which are grown and valued for their foliage and shade. This shade is usually both constant and heavy. The roots of these trees are notoriously omnivorous. Planted a short distance from shrubs or buildings, the peonies can secure shelter from the full sunlight for a brief part of each day. Very rare and delicately beautiful varieties should be provided with individual protection from the sun, or else they should be opened in the house. Next to location in reference to sunlight and shade, should be considered location in respect to moisture. Peonies must have good drainage. While there should be sufficient moisture in the ground to keep the plants in condition to produce flowers, it is extremely undesirable that there should be an excess of moisture. Without being actually wet, it is astonishing how easily the soil can hold more water than is good for the peony root. If the gardener is forced to choose between a location that is too dry and one that is too moist, — as might easily be the case in the limited area of a little garden, — the choice should be in favor of the drier spot. There the ground can be deeply prepared, and water can be given at the necessary times. But too much water constantly in the ground will weaken the roots, and eventually they will dwindle and rot away. Another point to be mentioned is the fact that peonies planted upon low-lying land — usually insufficiently drained — are in danger of being heaved out of the ground each winter by the frost. 52 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN A place in the open border will suit the peony in the little garden. If it is a division, or a small one-year plant, care should be taken that it is not crowded or overshadowed by large plants already well established. A clay loam is ideal for securing abundant and well-colored flowers from the peony. The clay soil is full of rich food, and is retentive of moisture. If it is too stiff to be handled easily, it may be Hghtened by the addition of humus and lime or sifted coal-ashes. Lime is extremely valuable in the preparation of the soil for the garden. In the first place, it effects a great mechanical im- provement in heavy ground. It breaks up the small particles, and reduces the tendency of the clay to become lumpy. At the same time it sweetens the soil, and corrects the acid condition of land that has been neglected or overfed with manures. Lime also liberates a supply of mineral food in the earth, which is locked beyond the reach of plant roots until the lime sets it free. A piece of ground which is being newly prepared for a peony bed can be well limed with safety, if the application is made several weeks before the roots are planted. Peonies are not great lovers of lime. They require only enough to keep the soil from becoming sour ; more than that is apt to prove detri- mental. The reason for this may be that the excess of mineral food released by the lime, in addition to the fertilizers ordinarily used, is an embarrassment of riches for the peonies. It is possible to have the soil too rich for their good. By the same token, more lime may be used on poor soil than on good soil. In other words : it is not alone the lime as such but the action of the lime on the soil, which must be taken into consideration. This distinction may explain the difference of opinion as to the benefits from using lime. If the soil is sufl&ciently sweet but is too heavy for easy ma- LOCATION AND SOIL 53 nipulation, the addition of sifted hard-coal ashes is desirable. I wish to say a few words here in favor of the too often scorned hard-coal ashes. Opinion as to their virtue or bane in the garden differs greatly. Indeed, a lively and enlightening argument may be easily aroused by tossing this dusty apple of discord into the conversation of practical gardeners. Why — the pros and cons of coal ashes have even been known to break friendships among dahlia enthusiasts ! The soil on our place is a heavy clay loam. Some portions were all clay until I supplied the loam. The old vegetable- garden, which is now devoted entirely to flowers, was as friable and mellow as a cement floor when I first took it in hand. The alternate use of green crops spaded under and heavy applica- tions of finely sifted hard-coal ashes have wrought a remark- able change. Stable manure was used in connection with the green crops. Occasional applications of limestone were made. In addition, every two or three years I have had a big wire screen set up on this plot in the autumn. Every pound of coal- ashes from the furnace has been sifted there and immediately spread upon the soil, to be deeply spaded in early in the spring. The mechanical improvement of this piece of heavy clay soil is nothing short of amazing. The earth does not bake any more. Even during a dry spell the gardeners find no difficulty in pulling weeds. The soil is in excellent tilth. Wood ashes also will keep the ground porous. But in this part of the country wood ashes may now be called more or less a luxury, to be used with economy as a fertilizer and not in the wholesale way necessary to prepare a piece of land. If the owner of the little garden is so fortunate as to possess open fireplaces with hardwood to burn therein, he has a supply of a material which is valuable in many ways. No wood ash should be wasted. It should be covered and kept dry until used. 54 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN When I am camping in the Canadian woods, the amount of fine hardwood which is unavoidably wasted there makes me sad. The sight of many great trees thrown to the floor of the forest by the winter storms and left to decay, though still sound and fit to furnish many a joyous open fire, really hurts. A good big woodpile, neatly sawed and stacked, is ever in my garden's background. Every winter I have more wood prepared and stored to season, and every winter I make a mental calculation of the many cheerful fires upon the hearth and the many barrels of fertilizer this doubly precious wood will provide me. After the lime and coal ashes have been added to the heavy clay earth, the next thing to think about is the humus. Humus is decayed vegetable-matter. Not only heavy clay, but sandy or very light soils are in need of humus. It helps to make the clay soil crumbly and workable. It renders sandy or light soil more compact and retentive of precious moisture. For the production of roots a light soil is good, for then the roots increase rapidly. But in the little garden flowers are wanted, and for the production of peony blooms in light or sandy soils humus is vitally necessary. In a large space humus can be secured by ploughing in green crops, such as buckwheat and rye. Both of these grow well on poor soil. On a small piece of ground buckwheat can be planted twice in one summer, and deeply spaded in as soon as it begins to bloom. The improvement in soil which has had this treat- ment is astonishing. Occasionally it is necessary to add humus to an old peony-bed. Buckwheat can be sowed between the plants and turned under. For this purpose it is far better than manure which, except in liquid form, I keep entirely away from my pe- onies. Buckwheat has another virtue : it chokes and discourages weeds. In the first preparation of a field or a garden, or even a flower LOCATION AND SOIL 55 bed, plenty of manure may be applied. This will feed the green crops, if there are to be any. If manure alone is to be used to improve the ground, it should be put on several months before the peony roots are planted. It then has the opportunity to rot thoroughly and become well mixed with the soil. The damage to peonies from the use of manure is thus lessened. Deep preparation of the soil is necessary for the best growth of the peony. When one remembers that the eyes at the top of the root are to be placed three inches below the surface, and that the rest of the root — measuring from six to eight or more inches — is usually below the eyes, the reason for deep prepara- tion is at once apparent. Here is a foot of depth well occupied at the very outset. Strong-growing varieties will extend their roots rapidly in a friendly soft soil. Festiva Maxima, for in- stance, frequently has roots measuring from eighteen to twenty- four inches on a healthy four-year plant. It is a task to lift them without breakage. Occasionally peonies are set in beds which have been pre- pared to a depth of two and a half or three feet, according to one's purposes and enthusiasm. These deep beds or trenches should be filled with good topsoil. If they are for immediate use, manure should be withheld and the topsoil should be mixed with well-rotted compost instead. If the beds are not to receive the peonies for several months then manure may be safely incorporated. This method of planting in trenches entails so much work that it should be used only when the peonies are destined to stay in one place. The commercial grower has conditions totally diflFerent from the amateur's to think of in his planting. In the first place, the large fields required to accommodate his stock could be prepared in this way only at great expense. And in the second place, such an expenditure of time and labor in any but a private garden, 56 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN or a special planting for exhibition, would be wasteful and ab- surd. The nurseryman keeps his roots in the ground only for the brief period between division and sale, or division and the time for the next division — and I may add that that term appears to be growing briefer and briefer ! It is true, however, that the roots of well-established peonies grow to great bulk and length in deeply prepared soil, and they give blossoms of corresponding size and beauty. I have in mind a certain root of the variety, Comte de Paris. This old plant had been in one place for a number of years, and some of its roots actually measured three and one half feet. To those experienced gardeners who habitually make trenches two feet in depth for their sweet peas, a mere annual, there is nothing startling in this suggestion of deep preparation of the soil for a perennial of such long life as the peony. The making of trenches from two to three feet deep is an assurance of fine blooms. In my garden there are fourteen such trenches, all from two to three feet deep, and all containing fine topsoil. Several of them have a foot of stones in the bottom. They are of varying shapes and sizes. Some are oblong, fourteen feet by four feet or fourteen feet by six feet. Others are long and narrow, twenty- four feet by three feet. The largest one of all is one hundred feet long by sixteen feet wide by two feet nine inches deep. It is filled entirely with the richest topsoil that the place affords. During the eleven years in which I have used these trenches, the abundance and quality of the flowers of various kinds grown in them have satisfied me completely as to their value in the technique of good gardening. VI PLANTING, CULTIVATING, AND FERTILIZING Among able gardeners the consensus of opinion is that peonies are best planted in the fall. September and October are the months generally agreed upon as the most propitious. Mid- September is the opening of the planting season in my garden. Before that time the buds on the roots are not likely to be fully formed. Planting can be continued as long as the ground is fit to be worked, but peonies set out late in the autumn do not have the opportunity to become settled and to put forth new roots before the freezing weather overtakes them. If they are loose in the ground, they may be heaved out by the frost. Both heaving and immature root -buds affect the quality and quantity of bloom the following year. Spring planting has been well tested out by cultivators of wide experience, and almost unanimously condemned because of the unavoidable disturbance of the early -waking roots. Occa- sionally a voice is raised in its favor, and some scattering cata- logues advertise peonies for sale for either fall or spring planting. I suppose that the occasional voice has some special or per- sonal reason for its endorsement. And I presume that the firms approving of this technique also have special reasons. But the reasons, whatever they are, do not include the well-being of the peony. Certainly there is no law against spring planting. But to my mind and in the opinion of many other devotees, it is a mis- take to plant peonies in the spring. The ground where peonies are to be planted should, if it is a 58 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN possible thing, be made ready several months in advance. Par- ticularly is this necessary if unusually deep preparation of the soil is made ; for the divisions or newly set plants will sink with the settling soil, and the same effect as that of too deep planting will be the result. In ground that is fully settled and really ready, then, the roots should be placed so that the topmost eyes will be between two and three inches below the level of the finished bed. This is the rule for a clay loam. In soils that are light they may be planted as deep as three or three and a half inches. Planting that is too shallow has several disadvantages. The roots are quickly heaved out of the ground by frost. The earth is more easily washed from them by heavy rains, and thus ex- posed, they rot rapidly. Cultivation of the plant is more likely to injure the crowns if they are shallowly placed. Again, the crown of the peony naturally pushes upward as the plant grows older, so that in time an old root is often flush with the surface and has to be covered. If the root is originally planted too high, this condition is hastened. On the other hand, planting that is too deep is one of the causes of shy -blooming in the peony, and for that reason should be shunned. Careful attention to the placing of the roots at the proper depth means that some thought should be given in each case to the quality of the soil. Divisions that are very small should not be planted as deeply as standard divisions or one-year roots. A depth of two inches is ample. Indeed, such tiny pieces should receive extra care, for not only have they — like the others — suffered the shock of division, but being small, they have less strength and food in reserve upon which to call until they are established. If these little divisions are of rare and expensive varieties, as they are most likely to be, they may well be placed for the first year or PLANTING, CULTIVATING, FERTILIZING 59 two of their life in a cold-frame, or in some carefully shielded and well-drained spot. As the size of the new roots sent out by the dealers becomes smaller and smaller, so must the skill of the amateur who receives them become greater and greater, if he is to save his precious purchases. Another important matter is the avoidance of sites where peonies have been previously planted. In such places the soil is usually exhausted. This is bound to be the case if the first ten- ant has been there for several years. Unless the old soil is re- moved and fresh rich earth put in, the new plant, even if it manages to survive, frequently fails to succeed. I mentioned this point in The Booh of the Peony several years ago, and I have always stressed it in talks I have given. It is a pleasure to note that many of the professional growers are, in their catalogues, laying special emphasis upon the fact. Here is a little detail that may stand between failure and success. If a number of peony roots are to be planted, they should not be closer to one another than two and a half or three feet. If ground can be spared, or if only a few specimens are to go into the garden, a greater distance may be left to advantage. Four or even five feet between roots which are to remain permanently in position is not too much to allow for growth and spreading. The first winter after setting out the roots or divisions of or- dinary size, they should be mulched (covered) to prevent their heaving out of the ground through alternate freezing and thaw- ing. After the first season, winter protection of the peony is unnecessary except in the case of tiny divisions or young seed- lings. It is well to guard these with a winter covering for two or even three years. Salt hay, straw, cornstalks, and leaves (not peony foliage) are all good materials with which to mulch. Whichever one is used should be put on after the first hard freezing of the ground. 60 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN Manure is a deadly thing to apply as a mulch for peonies. It is still advised and still employed by some gardeners for this pur- pose, but I think that their number is decreasing as their experi- ence widens. It is entirely possible to use manure freely and with apparent safety for several years. And then, some fine day, it is entirely probable that the insouciant gardener may find his peonies the prey of wilt and rot and blight ! These afilictions will then have to be fought for a longer or shorter period of time until all the festive little fungus-spores, so hospitably fostered by the manure, have been conquered. Solid manure never touches my peonies. They are protected and fed by other materials. While manure is a favorite resting- and breeding-place for fungus growths, it is not the only one. The dead leaves and stems of the peony itself, if left to mould and rot upon the ground each winter, are a fertile source of trouble. For this reason, each fall as the peony foliage ripens in my garden it is cut off and relentlessly burned. That is a big task, too, for the stalks are not dry enough to make good fuel. None the less, burn they must ; and rubbish, old pieces of wood, anything that will burn freely, is mixed with them. With a dash of kerosene added, the auto-da-fe begins. Early in the spring the peonies which were planted and mulched the previous fall should be examined. The covering should be removed in good time. Even the innocuous salt-hay or cornstalks can cause trouble if left on the beds too long under the warm rays of the spring sun. Therefore, the moment that the peonies show their "dear rosy snouts," as my friend, Miss Jekyll, calls them, the mulch must be promptly and carefully removed. As soon as the ground is dry enough to handle, the peony beds should be thoroughly cultivated. Constant and conscientious cultivation all season long brings many rewards. In this way moisture is conserved in the soil, weeds cannot steal food from the flowers, any added fertilizer is thoroughly incorporated with PLANTING, CULTIVATING, FERTILIZING 61 the earth, ant nests are broken up and rose bugs have no chance at all to bring up their children ! An urgent reason for the early cultivation of peonies is the oc- casional presence of the May beetle (Melolontha vulgaris) in the ground. These large predacious beetles hibernate in the soil, and become active with the first vernal impulses. Hungry after the winter's fast, they are capable of doing great damage to peony roots as well as to other plants. When cultivation has been unduly delayed I have known them to gnaw around and com- pletely destroy large pieces of peony crown. The use of fertilizers to secure more and larger blossoms is the subject of constant testing for all flowers. But just now the fer- tilization of peonies seems to be in a perfect fever of experiment. Three necessary elements for the growth of all plants are nitrogen which feeds the leaves, phosphorus which feeds the stems, and potash, which is the chief source of food for the flow- ers and fruit. The simplest plan for providing these in the garden is by spad- ing in green crops or manure for nitrogen, bone meal for phos- phorus, and wood ashes for potash. These applications are nature's own way of fertilizing, slightly accelerated. For the spaded green-crops are but another form of the rotted leaves of trees or grass, the bone meal but a quick return to earth of the animal life upon it, and the wood ashes but a concentrated appli- cation of the alkali salts contained within the earth itself. Manure, which is richest in nitrogen, is of special value be- cause it stimulates the beneficent bacteria in the soil. And while solid manure is generally unsafe for immediate use with peonies, because it is so genial a host to undesirable spores, the gardener gets around that diflSculty by using manure in liquid form. I have used, and occasionally still do use, commercial fer- tilizers — phosphoric acid, muriate of potash, nitrate of soda, 62 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN sulphate of iron, and other chemicals — in connection with the culture of the peony ; but I am convinced that such fertilization is easily overdone and that concentrated chemicals, as well as manure, should be employed with the greatest restraint. Al- though growers and dealers in their catalogues and planting in- structions seldom mention it, the fact remains — as I have already pointed out — that the soil can readily be made too rich for the peony. Green crops, bone meal, and wood ashes are slower than most commercial fertilizers in giving results, but they are much safer and therefore more desirable in the long run. Even these "natural" fertilizers must be used with care. Either bone meal or wood ashes will burn the roots if allowed to come into contact with them. Wood ashes are particularly valuable to use on peonies, because the caustic eflFect of both the potash and the lime contained therein tends to keep the soil sweet and ward off fungous growths ; but they should be raked or stirred into the soil only after the root is protected by a layer of earth. Every once in a while I read some letter or article in which the writer protests against the disbudding of peonies. Disbudding is the technical word for removing the lateral or side buds from a peony stalk. The result of taking off these buds is an increased size of the flower coming from the terminal bud which has been allowed to remain. Certain varieties are undeni- ably more decorative if left to produce sprays of small flowers instead of one big blossom on each stem. Peonies which show many stamens. La Rosiere for example, are specially charming grown in this way. So are the single varieties. As a general prac- tice, however, most peony enthusiasts prefer to secure large blooms. There is no doubt that size is an impressive feature in the general appearance of a peony. Therefore the side or lateral buds may be removed while they are still very small, in order PLANTING, CULTIVATING, FERTILIZING 63 that their strength may be diverted into the end or terminal bud. If show flowers are wanted, still greater strength and size may be obtained for them by cutting or pinching off some of the weaker shoots of the plant when they are a few inches above ground in the spring. It is probable that there are seldom two or three peony-lovers gathered together without discussion of rose bugs — their ubiq- uitousness, their sins, and their possible eradication. Several prepared remedies are offered for sale, but I have yet to hear enthusiastic approval of any of them except by the salesmen. A fellow gardener in Connecticut has solved the rose-bug prob- lem to her own satisfaction. She finds that one ounce of powdered sulphate of iron to each square yard of surface, well worked into the ground once a month, after either a good rain or a good wet- ting with the hose, will at once decrease the number of rose bugs. If this treatment is continued for three successive seasons, she finds that no more rose bugs will appear. I am inclined to think that the value of this remedy lies in the regular and thorough stirring of the soil. The young of the rose- chafer, when in the pupal stage, lie near the surface of the ground. At that period of their development the slightest disturbance kills them. Be that as it may, the treatment recommended has two certain advantages in addition to the frequent cultivation : one is that there is no nasty spray to touch the flowers, and the other is that sulphate of iron is a stimulant to the roots of the peonies, and an agent of no mean power in increasing the depth of color in the flowers. Ants are another annoyance in the garden, and although the damage they do is so indirect that it is not always laid to their account, it is none the less real, and it is often serious. Spores of fungoid growths are carried by ants from one plant to another. This fact has been made a subject of careful experiment and 64 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN undeniable proof. Large numbers of ants, seeking the honey- like substance on peony buds, are able to do untold mischief. And while they disappear to a large extent after the buds have expanded and the "honey" is gone, yet if disease is present in the near neighborhood, it was probably well spread by them before they left. The orchard orioles destroy many ants. The old apple-trees near our house are favorite nesting-places each year for these lovely birds. Frequently I see an oriole swaying on a big peony- stalk while he lunches heartily upon ants. But the birds cannot kill all of these countless insects. We must help, too. Several years ago Dr. Huey, the famous rosarian, told me to pour boiling water into the ants' nests whenever I found them. We do this in my garden every year. It is not a permanent cure, but it very noticeably depletes the hordes of mischief makers. Occasionally I meet one of the gardeners hurrying triumphantly along a path with a steaming teakettle in his hands. Then a de- tour to the back of the house brings to view an angry cook stand- ing in the doorway and muttering maledictions ! This rape of the teakettle almost precipitates internecine strife at times. For the cook thinks of the garden only as a pleasant place wherein the mistress of the house indulges an unaccountable taste for hard work, while the gardener regards the house as a mere appendage of the garden — a place of refuge during storms, and a temporary shelter each night until the real business of life — which is to garden — may be resumed again in the morning. One of them is entirely right — but I shall not say here which it is. It might not be politic ; for, after all, I need both the garden and the house for my happiness and my comfort. VII ROOT-DIVISION AND SEEDLINGS When a root is divided, each division will be of the same vari- ety and produce the same kind of flowers as the original root. The only way to increase plants of any given variety of P. albi- flora is by division. The plants which grow from seeds show characteristics of their two lines of ancestors. It is from such plants — or seed- lings as they are usually called — that new peonies are selected and introduced. The object of division is to secure as many strong pieces (more plants) of the root as possible. These pieces, because they are furnished with "eyes" (or root buds) to provide foliage and fleshy roots to provide nourishment, will in turn and in time themselves become large roots, fit for further division. The proper division of peony roots is not yet generally under- stood by the amateur gardener. In a recently reprinted book on gardening I read instructions to divide the large clumps with a spade ! While it is true that the finest art of dividing a peony root is not commonly known, I had hoped that the advice to use the spade, which is inevitably damaging and wasteful, had been discarded. Pieces which have three, four, or five eyes, with the proper accompaniment of root, are of sufficient size and strength to bear the shock which division entails, and yet they are small enough to be economical. For instance, a large root ready for division may show — let us say — twenty eyes. With care in the cutting, from five to seven strong pieces may be obtained, depending 66 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN somewhat upon the formation of that particular root. As the amateur progresses in the science and art of division, he will notice that different varieties have peculiarities of root-forma- tion. It may easily be seen that no such number of good pieces could be secured by the use of a clumsy spade. Such rough cleav- age would inevitably lop off necessary young roots and destroy many eyes. As the spade is usually apphed to roots at least partly covered with earth, the broken, worthless pieces are apt to be left unseen in the crude divisions, ready to decay later on. Let us now consider the proper technique. Roots which are to be divided should be dug and prepared with care. The soil should be loosened in a wide circle around the peony, and as much of the loosened soil as possible should be removed before the root is lifted. In this way cracking of the crown and breaking of long roots are avoided. Beginning in mid-September and continuing on through Octo- ber, — the best time, as I have said, for the division and planting of peonies, — the earth is as a rule mellow and crumbly. Most of it is easily shaken off the freshly dug root. What little soil still clings may be removed by a gentle jarring on the worktable, or by rinsing the root in a pail of water. The leaves and stalks should then be at once cut off. Some gardeners exercise the extra care of removing the foliage before digging the root, but the stalks are of considerable assistance in handling the heavy plant, and if dividing is done forthwith, there is no harm in taking them off after the root is bare. What an exquisite thing is the root of a peony ! Its pungent and refreshing odor adds to the pleasure of the business in hand. The clean healthy brown coloring of the fleshy fangs, the vary- ing bright hues of the buds, are beautiful to behold. Who can forget the large, pointed, brilliant pink root-buds of Therese, or the enormous and sharp-tipped buds of yellowish white on the ROOT-DIVISION AND SEEDLINGS 67 roots of Mme. Guyot? A number of varieties have such dis- tinctive roots that they can be recognized and correctly named by one who has observed them carefully. Each autumn I look forward with delight to the task of in- creasing my favorite peonies. It is an annual festival — the first preparation for the garden of the following year. For days before I am ready to begin, my faithful Giovanni — who loves peonies almost as madly as I do myself — asks little tentative questions ; hints that "pretty soon now the peonies will be ready" ; and at the given time departs joyously to sharpen the knives, prepare the table, dampen the moss, and set out the empty boxes. As I stand in the field, I can hear him up in the barn singing snatches of opera in a truly excellent tenor. When the root is bare and clean, then the division should be accomplished by the use of a sharp knife. I use a hunting-knife. The blade is thick enough to stand the pressure necessary to cut through the tough roots without the danger of breaking in the hand. This hunting-knife, with a blade six or seven inches long, will easily divide one-, two-, and three-year roots. When it is necessary to divide roots which are four years old, or even three- year roots of the strongest-growing varieties, I employ a farm- er's corn-harvesting knife. This is a long knife with a flat blade, slightly curved near the end, not unlike a scimitar in general outline. The lower point of the square-cut tip may be placed at the chosen spot on the root and firmly held while the back of the knife is tapped by a hammer. The blade is thus forced in a clean cut through the exact line decided upon. There is no slipping and fumbling, and no chance of cut fingers through the sudden giving of the root. If, before division is attempted, the root is placed on a table of convenient height, with a mound of soil firmly moulded under the crown, the pressure of the knife and the jar of hammering 68 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN do no harm to the brittle roots and eyes. The cut is easily and quickly made just where the gardener desires. Sometimes the best line for division will be indicated by the growth of the root. At other times one must study the root, decide where to cut in order to distribute evenly the buds and roots, and then have the courage to go ahead. A little practice and judgment are necessary. The thrifty reader will doubtless wish to have his early practice upon the cheaper varieties ! The reward for skill in division is not only a greater number Good method of dividing four-year-old root. of pieces, but better pieces — pieces so balanced in crown and root that they have a fair chance to grow after the somewhat drastic operation to which they have been subjected. The selection of plants for division is a matter for considera- tion. The plants have two separate purposes to fulfill — produc- tion of flowers and increase of root. In the small garden, where decoration is the main object, a peony once planted and established is usually left unmoved until it has grown to be too old to bloom well any longer. This length ROOT-DIVISION AND SEEDLINGS 69 of time varies. P. albiflora will not thrive and bloom undivided for as many years as will P. officinalis. The roots of these two species are unlike, both in appearance and in habit of growth. When one hears of a peony living and blooming undisturbed for thirty or forty years, enquiry will usually bring out the fact that the patriarchal peony in question is a specimen of P. officinalis. Some varieties of P. albiflora are worn out at eight years of age. Others — Festiva Maxima, for instance — will live a much longer time before they begin to fail. But whatever the length of time may be, the peony should be discarded when it has reached this stage, and a new root secured to replace it. For a peony which has arrived at this point is too old to furnish divi- sions that are strong-growing and floriferous. Divisions from old roots are disappointing in many ways. In the first place, the crown is usually so high and woody that the crown-buds are a long distance from the fleshy roots which have to support the newly made division, and the food is with diffi- culty supplied through the tough and mutilated piece of crown. Secondly, the cut surfaces of woody crowns do not callous over like the young fleshy fibre, and so they are the easy prey of mould and rot. Thirdly, old crowns at best usually have considerable rot. This is hard to remove thoroughly, even with the most careful division. Although this cleaning out may be accom- plished, the remaining root is apt to be awkward and too badly balanced for successful growth. Old roots have done their full duty. They have developed, have matured, and — undisturbed for years — have given a generous display of bloom unobtainable where roots are fre- quently lifted for division. Such is the brief history of a root of P. albiflora left for years to ornament one place. But when the gardener desires to in- crease his peonies, when the beauty of Avalanche, the fragrance 70 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN of Philomele, the rapture of Solange, so haunt and possess him that he is wiUing to give up more or all of his precious garden- space in order to add to his loved favorites, he proceeds to watch the calendar for mid-September and then to divide young roots. Roots which have grown two or three years since they were last divided are at the best age to be divided again. There are considerations which influence the decision as to age. Peonies which increase slowly — like Glorious, for example — are better allowed to grow three years between the times of division. Vari- eties which make rapid root-growth — like Therese — may be divided every two years if desired. On occasions it is wise or necessary to use a four-year-old root for propagation. A new and exhausted variety which has been repeatedly cut and re-cut by the dealers may well be left for four years to recover before the next division. After four years, however, the woody condition of the root increases so rapidly that division is unsatisfactory. The constant division of roots only a year old is a practice to be emphatically stigmatized as vicious. Yet that very thing has been done and is being done by certain growers, in their ef- forts to place quickly upon the market new and expensive vari- eties which are in great demand. Peonies treated in this way can- not escape injury. Many times it takes years of care to bring back their vigor, and often they are permanently weakened to the point of worthlessness. This explains why some of the excep- tional new varieties are seldom seen at shows for a long time after their first bow. They make their debut. Perfect specimens of bloom are presented by their originators, and obtain the cer- tificates or prizes or medals of which they are judged worthy. The growers then fall upon the roots of the prize- winning peony, and divide and divide and divide and divide and divide, and usually the purchaser knows the end of the story. Would that ROOT-DIVISION AND SEEDLINGS 71 the peony, when torn too often from the unwiUing earth, could shriek as did the mandrake of old ! ' Recently there has been a practice established by a few peony dealers, or growers, of sending out "one-eye divisions." Indeed the originator of the plan has expended a good deal of energy in widely advertising them. And other growers, rather than lose business by refusing to slice up their stock, have disregarded their natural objections to this practice, fallen into line, and themselves offered one-eye divisions for sale. There are a number of important things to say about these divisions. In the first place, the dividing of a peony root occa- sionally provides a good strong root with only one eye. Such a piece is valuable if the gardener realizes that it will take at least two or three years to grow a real plant from it. I frequently plant one-eye roots of that description, which have occurred dur- ing division in my own garden. But a single root usually has two or three eyes, and in order to secure one-eye divisions, the root has to be split or sliced. If one has had any experience with pe- onies, it is immediately clear to him that these divisions have been weakened, and so have a great handicap in getting started. Ji the growers continue the practice too long, the effect will be so bad that the varieties thus treated will gradually be destroyed. Unfortunately, this one-eye-division plan is tried on the newest and rarest varieties, in order to increase the stock quickly, and to lower the price to purchasers who will not pay the amount asked for divisions of proper size. These purchasers do not stop to think that a poor thing is dear at any price. 1 A conspicuous victim of this conscienceless and greedy practice of overdivi- sion is the peony, Mrs. Edward Harding. Curiously enough, one of the men who exploits one-eye divisions complains that he has never seen since 1918 a flower of this peony which could put it in the class of the world's finest peonies. Until the deliberately weakened stock of this naturally vigorous plant is allowed to regain its strength, it will not be able to produce again such flowers as won for it the prize at the Cleveland Show (1918). 72 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN I quote from a letter sent me by a friend who bought some of these "one-eye divisions." "One [name of a variety] had one eye and looked like a dried-up mouse. It was smaller than the three-inch label and was tied on the label. [name of a variety] was like a slice of bacon with two little eyes. . . . Both divisions were so funny Figure 2. A badly balanced one-eye division from old root Figure 3. An excellent division from a two-year root that I kept them some time for show." In the same letter my friend protested against "giving over a perfectly good location to hospital work on mutilated plants." For myself, I have no use for these one-eye divisions. I will not buy them, nor would I accept as a gift such crippled roots. Figures 2 and 3 represent two methods of division. Figure 2 is ROOT-DIVISION AND SEEDLINGS 73 a one-eye division, bought in response to an advertisement of a certain grower. I had its portrait drawn before it was planted. This division is poor for two reasons : not only has it been weak- ened by being cut too small, with only one small fleshy root to sustain it, but it is a division from an old plant. The portion of root between the lines aa and bb is hard and woody. With the exception of a couple of tiny hairlike rootlets on the third side of this division, there is nothing to feed the bud except the dis- tant fleshy root. This division had just about one chance in a hundred of living and it lost that chance. A few weeks after I had planted it with my own hands in one of the best peony -plots that I possess, I uncovered it with the utmost care to see how it was faring. The raw surfaces on the woody portion were cov- ered with mould ; and the small neck of the fleshy root where it joined the old crown was rotted clear through."^ Figure 3 shows an excellent division. It is cut from a young plant without a woody old crown, and there is enough root to ensure proper growth. The cut surface is proportionately small, and as it is on young fibre, the cut has the chance to callous over promptly. The quick callousing of root-cuts is important in keeping out mould and rot. A note bearing on this subject of division comes to my mind here. Occasionally in dividing a choice peony a fleshy root will break off close to the crown. There may be no eye noticeable upon it ; but if the break is close to the crown, and the variety is sufficiently valuable to warrant the trouble and the long wait ^ A dealer who has strongly endorsed one-eye divisions now states in his latest catalogue, July 1923: "each one-eye division will have at least two eyes (one being for Insurance and good measure)." While he thus changes what he offers, he still clings to his original terminology. Apparently he has found that (1) a one-eye division needs insm-ance, (2) it is more blessed to give than to receive, and (3) the continued use of the expression "one-eye" for divisions which he expressly states "have at least two eyes" is a way, as our Chinese friends say, to save face. 74 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN necessary for development, it is worth while planting such a piece. Sometimes — not always — the effort will be rewarded. Last autumn I transplanted a strong little plant of La Fee, which had come from such a piece planted five years before. As La Fee now costs twelve dollars a root, I felt that I had just found twelve dollars. In another part of my garden I have three large well-established plants which I secured in the same way. Natur- ally, one would not deliberately prepare roots in this manner, but when they happen during division, it is diverting and sometimes profitable to plant them. When I made the statement of this possibility in print a few years ago, one reviewer, with the complete assurance of limited information in respect to this detail, severely criticized its accu- racy. Immediately letters came to me from other gardeners, tell- ing me of similar experiences with pieces of roots. The Reverend Mr. Harrison of York, Nebraska, one of the oldest and most carefully observant growers of the peony in this country, wrote to me an approving letter. In it he cited his own success with similar pieces. Several other well-known growers of wide ac- complishment also wrote to me, and in the light of their own knowledge endorsed my assertion. If more than one variety of peony is divided, care must be exercised to see that the divisions do not become mixed. Peonies which are not true to name are a trial to the spirit and a vexation in the garden. Each autumn, when I have a number of varieties ready for division, it is too much work to label each piece sep- arately as it is made, so I place a number of wooden boxes on the floor of the playroom in the barn, where the cutting is always done. Each box bears a large label — usually a piece of paste- board — with the name Solange, or Glorious, or any of the other varieties which I am cutting up, written upon it in huge letters. Into these boxes go the divisions as they are made. Each divi- ROOT-DIVISION AND SEEDLINGS 75 sion is tucked in with a handful of well-dampened moss. Here the roots, which should not be allowed to dry out, can be safely kept without fear of being mixed. When I am ready to send any away, each one is securely and plainly labeled as I take it out of the box. Those which are planted in the field or garden are at that time numbered and named upon a diagram drawn in a field notebook of brown paper. By this method each division is easily guarded from confusion. The transplanting of old roots of peonies without division is not good practice.^ Roots older than three years will frequently sulk and refuse to bloom if so transplanted. Indeed, this is many times the cause of failure to bloom in little gardens, where the peony is not usually divided for increase but where it is oc- casionally moved for some reason of convenience. A root one or even two years old, according to its strength and the size of the last preceding division, is quite as large as should ever be planted undivided. A three-year-old root will give an immediate effect in bloom. But experience has taught me that a strong, balan'ced division, properly planted and uninterrupted in growth, will in the end surpass the transplanted two- and three- year roots. Seedlings It is not necessary to plant thousands of seeds to secure some- thing of merit. Granting that only about one seedling out of a thousand or more is worthy of perpetuation, it would seem at first blush that the chances of success are relatively greater when many thousands are sowed; and yet a survey of the origin of ^ An exception to the planting of large roots without division should be not- ed here. Although the peony is a flower especially suited to the colder parts of the world, it is sometimes grown with success in warm sections. Among the special details in the varying methods of cultivation, in those conditions, is the transplantation of a large root without division. 76 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN many of our rarest and loA^eliest peonies compels recognition of the fact that they have come from httle gardens. Walter Faxon, Milton Hill, and Richardson's Grandiflora all originated in a little garden. So did the exquisite Mrs. C. S. Minot. The ground used by Doctor Minot for his seedlings was not extensive. We may truthfully say that all of Lemoine's beautiful seedlings came from a small garden, for the space given by that grower to the development of peonies has been but a small portion of the modest acreage devoted to the sum of all his marvelous creations. This should encourage the amateur with a limited amount of ground at his command to indulge in the pleasure of raising seed- lings. If only one good variety is obtained after years of effort, still it is worth while. And who shall deny that the pleasure is quite as much in the work as in the result ? The possibility of some day surprising the horticultural world with the production of the most perfect peony of all must tempt every peony-lover. If he has the leisure and the inclination, he may study theories of plant-breeding and scientific deductions therefrom, and then hand-pollinate his flowers. Or if the time is lacking or the details of hybridizing are too exacting, he may content himself with growing only the finest varieties obtainable and letting the bees and the butterflies complete his work of care- ful selection by crossing them. Crousse, the French grower who has given us so many fine varieties, could not spare the time for the work of hybridization. In Chapter iv I have given an extract from one of his letters, which explains his method of saving seed for annual sowing. We shall probably never know whether or not John Richard- son employed hand-pollination in the production of his seed- lings, for he left no records of breeding and the information is not otherwise available. Probably he did not. If Richardson had ROOT-DIVISION AND SEEDLINGS 77 used artificial fertilization, It could hardly have escaped the at- tention of Mr. Robert Tracy Jackson, who from his boyhood to the time of Richardson's death, had the entree to Richardson's inviting garden. Here are two growers of seedlings who have depended en- tirely upon the insects and the winds, yet have produced new varieties of highest quality. On the other hand, Kelway and Son, in England, claim to have established a regular system of hybridization of peonies. From this house — and we are to presume from this work — came Glorious, Lady Alexandra Duff, and other beauties. We know that Lemoine's fine peonies are the result of hand-fertilization. These two practices show the amateur may take his pleasure in his seedlings either with serious attention or more or less casually. If every seedling he ever raises goes to the pyre in the end, still he will have had the delight of watching it grow, and the thrill of expectation. It is a game at which the enthusiast never tires. One thing is important. Whether the amateur chooses to hybridize his peonies himself or leave them to chance, only the choicest varieties should be selected for his garden. Then, either way, he is prepared to harvest seeds of some value. Late in July or early in August, when the seed-pods on the peony plants begin to open and show the pea-like seeds within, they should be gathered at once, for when the seeds lose the sticky moisture with which they are covered within the pod, and become entirely brown and dry, they become also very hard, and will not germinate for two years or more. Some of the large growers deliberately permit their seeds to dry, and are willing to wait two years for germination. The amateur, with a smaller amount of ground at his disposal, should plant his seeds immedi- ately in order that most of them may appear the following spring. 78 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN At this early stage of ripening the seeds are almost all yellow, some slightly touched with brown, others tinged with red. The seeds of Mme. Gaudichau, for example, are very pretty — bright yellow with touches of red. Mme. Sallier has smooth green pods, the upper grooves of which are painted red, while the seeds within are clear yellow. Walter Faxon, too, has clear yellow seeds. It is a delightful but finger-blistering task to finish open- ing the slightly split pods. There is interesting variety in the fruit of the peony. Some plants will produce many well-filled pods year after year. Other varieties will present only one or two pods on a stalk, while the Figure 4. Perfect seed-pod of Mme. Calot rest of the carpels on the same stalk, having missed pollinization, will be but little dry and shriveled points. Some varieties, espe- cially the Japanese, have pods which are large, rough, and un- even in shape. Still others will be smooth, fat, and regular in outline. It is always exciting to find seeds on the varieties which seldom bear. Last season (1922) was most satisfying to me, for, in spite of the fact that I cut my choicest peonies with a lavish hand, I secured seeds from many of my most cherished. There were a few from the shy-seeding Festiva Maxima, and some from Le Cygne. Duchesse de Nemours provided me with a number. ROOT-DIVISION AND SEEDLINGS 79 although this is one of the peonies which develops only one or two pods on a stalk, and on some stalks perfects none at all. Alfred de Musset bore seeds, and so did Mme. Jules Dessert. Primevere is always a good seed-bearer, and Mme. Calot, an early full double rose-type, is the most prolific and persistent seed-bearer I have ever seen. Beautiful regular full pods, five to each stalk — the perfect "pentorobus" — are usually borne by Mme. Calot. Figure 4 was drawn from Mme. Calot. Walter Faxon seeds generously, and every seed is treasured. After cutting blooms freely all season long, after filling vases, buckets, and tubs, after sending peonies by the armful to the sick, after giving and giving again, on July 31, I gathered from the blooms which had been left on the plants two full pounds of seeds. Figure 5. Baby root two years from seed 80 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN As is usual in my garden, these seeds were placed in cold- frames and covered with about two inches of finely sifted rich earth. The ground was then thoroughly watered and the frames were shaded. Late in the fall, the seed beds were given a last careful saturation, and the frames were closed for the winter. There have been many experiments with chemicals, with the object of breaking down the hard shell of dried peony-seeds ; but the interested gardener will find most expedient the simple method of gathering his seeds in ample time and sowing them immediately. The proportion of seeds which — under these conditions — do not germinate the following season is small. In the spring tiny red plants appear, and the bed is carefully kept moist and well weeded. In the early fall they may be transplanted, or if more convenient, left for another year in the same spot. In either case they should be covered with a light mulch as soon as the ground freezes. At the time the seedlings are transplanted, the earth may be sifted and the unsprouted seeds evenly replanted. In transplanting, care should be taken to have the soil finely prepared. For ease of cultivation and in order to save space, they should be planted in rows two feet apart, with the individ- ual roots eight, ten, or twelve inches apart in the rows, depend- ing to some extent upon the amount of space available. Here they may stay until they bloom — which is usually at three oi four years of age. When the roots become too crowded, they should be again transplanted. At that time, individuals which have shown bloom of any attraction should be marked for trial and special observation. VIII WHY SOME PEONIES DO NOT BLOOM With peonies, as with people, bloom is the expression of health and well-being. If one's peonies do not bear flowers, something is wrong. Perhaps there are several conditions which contribute to their failure. Herbert Spencer truly said that there is no such thing as cause and effect : it is "causes and effects." Here are the principal reasons why some peonies do not bloom. 1. Roots reaching the end of a useful existence. In Chapter vii I spoke of the length of life of P. albiflora. Its span of years differs according to the variety, but none of the varie- ties reaches the great age of either P. ofEcinalis or P. Moutan. The gardener must realize this and be prepared when the time arrives to replace the old plants with young ones. 2. Transplantation of large roots without division. Peonies which have grown in one place for over three years will often refuse to bloom if they are moved without being divided. A one-, two-, or three-year root will go on blooming cheerfully, but roots older than three years may easily refuse to flower well again for a considerable period after transplanting. Occasionally even a three-year-old root will sulk. It is a good general rule never to transplant a peony without division, provided it is fit for division. Roots bought from growers are usually already divided quite as much as — or more than ! — is good for them, and should not be divided further. 3. Recent transplantation. Many peonies will not bloom the first season or two after being planted. These roots demand time in which to settle down to the business of life in their new 82 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN homes. This is usually the case with varieties which are not naturally profuse bloomers. 4. Divisions from roots that are too old. A number of reasons for the failure of such divisions to bloom have already been discussed in Chapter vii, on Division. It will suflSce here to repeat that the badly balanced root-systems which neces- sarily occur in divisions of old peonies often fail to supply food and moisture to the growing plant. The new-made root has a struggle for life. It has no energy left to expend in flowering. 5. Divisions from weak or overworked stock. As a rule, divisions of new and scarce varieties are too weak to bloom for several years, unless the division has been made in one's own garden with the proper exercise of judgment and care. Cer- tainly the small pieces so often sold by professional growers have a long fight ahead of them, before they acquire sufficient strength to flower. Not only are the pieces tiny, but they are from stock too frequently divided. A sad letter from a collector, received the very day I am writ- ing these lines, is in point. In 1918 he and another enthusiast bought a division of a rare and expensive variety. It was small when they bought it, but they witlessly proceeded to divide it again so that there might be a piece for each to have and to hold and to plant. Four years have dragged slowly by and it has not yet bloomed. He "hopes" that it will flower this year, but admits that the hope is only a slight one. It is bad enough to receive stock which has already been often and closely divided, but deliberately to cut it further one's self is really courting disaster. 6. Too deep planting. This may come about by inten- tion or by accident. The places prepared for peony roots are seldom made ready a sufiiciently long time in advance to permit the ground to settle thoroughly. Ground that is deeply dug and WHY SOME PEONIES DO NOT BLOOM 83 turned will settle and pack to a surprising degree. How much greater will the settling be when part of the soil is removed in preparation and replaced with compost which by nature is less closely packed ! If the root is planted before this settling process is complete, it is naturally carried down with the earth, and even though it has been placed at the proper depth in the first place, it does not stay there. The unsightly depression caused by the sinking is then filled by the gardener, who unthinkingly im- prisons the poor root perhaps five or six inches below the surface. From the gardens of amateurs — advanced to perfection in growing other flowers — peony roots have been brought to me, each one showing two distinct clumps, one above the other. The upper clump has been the result of the peony's efforts for years to struggle up out of its grave. The plants showed plainly that the original crowns had reached a point eight inches below the surface. In whatever way they were buried, whether through too deep planting in the first place or through the constant filling and leveling of the holes, it is not surprising that they never smiled upon the garden. 7. Improper location. If the peony is planted in the wrong place, it will have difficulty in producing flowers. In ground that is too dry, flowers will fail. In soil that is too wet or insufficiently drained, the root will rot and blossoms will be lacking. Constant and excessive shade will discourage the most persistent bloomer. It is amazing how many people apparently take pleasure in planting their peonies under big trees, in dry and heavily shaded soil. One sees this often in suburban gardens where space is at a premium. Repeatedly the owners of such plantings ask aggrievedly why their peonies do not bloom. When the damning closeness of the trees is pointed out, the answer is invariably, "Oh — but I can't move my trees, you know ! " 8. Exhausted or infected soil. The growth of a peony 84 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN in one place for a number of years exhausts the soil. If after the removal of an old root, another peony is planted in the same place, it is not apt to succeed. The new peony cannot find enough food in the famished soil. And if it is suffering from the shock of division, — which is usually the case, — the effort to become established is doubly difficult. Not only do many pe- onies fail to thrive under these conditions, but some of them suc- cumb entirely. Naturally, the length of time the ground was previously occupied affects the degree of its poverty. But more and more is becoming recognized the importance of planting peonies in fresh ground — ground that is rich, well cultivated, sweet, and in good heart. Another reason for always planting peonies in fresh soil is the danger of infection from sick plants. A root suffering from black rot may leave infected bits or fungoid spores in the ground. And if by any chance the former occupant suffered from root-galls, then the presence of depraved nematode worms in the soil ap- proaches a certainty. To subject a new and healthy root to such conditions and expect it to survive and bloom rapturously is asking too much. In case it is desirable for the sake of garden design to plant a peony where one was grown before, the earth may be removed to a depth of two feet and replaced by fresh topsoil. The new root will then have a fair start. 9. Late frosts. Not often in the vicinity of New York is frost a cause of damage to the peony buds. However, last year (1922) a late and bitter frost did great harm, not only in this locality but in many parts of the country. I shall not soon forget the frost which in one night turned the gorgeous magnolias from masses of pink loveliness into brown and heartbreaking disap- pointments. Some of the French lilac buds were also nipped, and had my tree peonies not been screened with straw, all of them WHY SOME PEONIES DO NOT BLOOM 85 would have gone. The herbaceous peonies which were planted among peach trees were practically unscathed. While those situ- ated in other places lost some of the terminal buds, many of these injured buds were later replaced by laterals. The crops were so small that the growers of peonies for the cut-flower market suffered great loss, and many a little garden missed its year's display. We are hardened to the possible late freezing of our peaches ; but deprivation of our peony blooms is a novel shock. The heavy frosts, though damaging, are fortunately not fre- quent. The lighter frosts have never harmed peonies in my garden. 10. Diseased plants. Stalks of peonies which are suffer- ing from "bud blast," one of the symptoms of botrytis, will not bloom. Wilting of the stems and rotting of the buds are other effects of the same disease. Peonies which are afflicted with root- gall bloom uncertainly or not at all. Information regarding both these diseases will be found in the next chapter. IX DISEASES OF PEONIES In the preceding chapter the reasons which are given for the peony's failure to bloom may be called outside causes or circum- stances. They are readily remedied by some simple change in the method of cultivation. But more and more does one hear about the inroads of wilt, black rot, bud-blast, and botrytis. It may be that these troubles do not attack the peony with greater frequency than they did years ago, but as more garden- makers adopt this flower as a special interest, so there will be wider discussion of its ailments as well as its charms. It is cer- tain, however, that these symptoms of fungoid disease, which have now become the subject of careful scientific study, have troubled the peony for many years. Sunlight and air are destructive to botrytis. Although the cul- ture of peonies in open fields — in large spaces which are well away from infection — is seldom hampered by any of the mani- festations of botrytis, still it is sadly true that peonies in gardens are often affected. An old garden, with close planting which shades the ground and with topsoil composed largely of stable manure and vegetable matter, provides conditions favorable to the growth of this fungus. The horticultural magazines to-day contain many letters and articles on this peony-blight, as it is called. Recently there have appeared strong recommendations to spray both the peonies and the ground in which they are planted. As long ago as 1911, this suggestion of spraying for the con- trol of this fungus was made by Mr. A. H. Fewkes of Newton DISEASES OF PEONIES 87 Highlands, Massachusetts. He has tried at different times the following treatments : air-slaked lime, dry Bordeaux-mixture, sulpho-naphthol, and "Sulco V. B." (which is made from sul- phur, carbolic acid, and fish-oil). Mr. Fewkes avows that the last preparation has a vile odor, — which is not hard to believe, — but that it appears to be doing good work. Wlien a plant shows disease he scrapes away the affected portion of the root and applies the fungicide before filling in with fresh earth. In my own garden prevention more than cure has been my dependence. In the first place, my peonies are grown away from other plants. That in itself is a protection. In the second place, the foliage is cut off and removed each fall with scrupulous care ; it is then immediately burned, as advised in Chapter vi. Thirdly, the plants are under careful daily observation. All flowers which are not to be saved for seed are cut off and burned as soon as they begin to fade. The occasional dried or undeveloped buds are snipped off with speed, and burned. Seldom do I find wilted or broken stalks. In a season of excessive "wet they will occur, but their number is undoubtedly kept down by persistent and prompt inspection. When a stem is found to be affected, it is severed close to the ground. The soil around it is then removed and the sick stalk is followed below the surface down to the root itself, which is then carefully examined without being disturbed any more than is necessary. Fresh earth or sand is brought to replace that which was taken off the root. At the risk of being thought painfully thorough, I will admit that the old soil is well scorched before it is carried away — just to be sure ! In the removal of all these parts — buds, stems, and faded flowers — it is well to work gently, as careless or rough handling will do much to spread the spores. So far in my experience I have never had to spray my peonies. A light application of water-slaked stone lime to the beds every 88 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN few years keeps the soil sweet and discourages fungus. Upon the complete withliolding of solid manure too much stress cannot be laid ; for, while manure encourages a strong growth of plants, it makes the soil in time favorable to the breeding of fungus spores. The careful burning of both sick and ripe foliage is another vital point. Unflagging attention to these details has so far sufficed to keep my peonies from falling victims to the dreaded botrytis. Another disease which sometimes troubles the peony is known as root-gall. Peonies affected with this disease have many weak stalks, which are stunted and give no bloom. The roots are short and stubby, with swellings and lumps. The tips of the roots appear to be rotted. The fine rootlets have many small galls or lumps upon them. Root-gall occurs much oftener in the South and in light soils than it does in the North and in heavy soils. In heavy soils the trouble is not usually serious, although individual roots may be beyond cure. A badly infected root had best be burned. A valuable root which is only lightly troubled may frequently be divided and reset in fresh soil. This treatment will often overcome a slight infestation. The constant replanting of roots upon the same soil is one cause of the spread of this disease. I called attention in Chapter VI to the importance of planting always upon new soil. This applies to all peonies, either sick or in health. And if the gar- dener is trying to cure an infected root by frequent division and resetting in fresh soil, as suggested, such planting should, if possible, be carefully kept to itself in a part of the grounds out- side of the garden. Two important and instructive pamphlets upon these dis- eases have been written. In 1911 the United States Department of Agriculture, through the Bureau of Plant Industry, printed Bulletin No. 217, entitled Root-Knot and Its Control. It was DISEASES OF PEONIES 89 written by Professor Ernst A. Bessey. It is of the greatest value, and should be in the library of every serious gardener. In 1915 Prof. H. H. Whetzel of Ithaca, New York, gave a lec- ture before the Massachusetts Horticultural Society upon "Dis- eases of the Peony." This lecture was later printed in pamphlet form. Dr. Whetzel treats at length of botrytis as well as root- gall, and illustrations of the many manifestations of both dis- eases are added to the clear explanations of the text. This is another publication of immense usefulness, which should be in the possession of good gardeners. While the various troubles and diseases of the peony are being considered here, I would like to enter protest against the name "Lemoine's disease," which has been applied by some commer- cial growers in this country to the root-gall or root-knot. It is not only discourteous in the extreme to one who has furnished the world with peonies yet to be excelled by any of us, but it is so unfairly incorrect in its implication as to be ridiculous. The first observations of this disease of which we have any record were made by Berkeley in 1855 in England. It was next remarked by Greef in Germany in 1864. Since then it has been found in Italy, Austria, Holland, France, Sweden, and Russia. It is not confined to Europe but flourishes in Africa, Asia, India, China, and Japan. Even Australia is not exempt. The disease is pretty well distributed throughout the United States. It is ex- tremely prevalent in the Southern states, and may be found as far West as California. This malady afflicts many plants. At least two hundred and thirty-five species and subspecies have been found to be sus- ceptible, although not every individual in any species necessarily becomes a victim. Most of the garden plants and many field crops are subject to it.^ Neither M. Lemoine, nor France, nor ^ See Root-Knot and Its Control, by Bessey. 90 PEONIES IN THE LITTLE GARDEN yet the peony itself can be held responsible as the originator or sole disseminator of this trouble. Doubtless the expression arose through ignorance and thoughtlessness, as so many mistakes do. But that does not render it any -the less absurd. It would be quite as correct to call root -rot " 's disease" or " 's disease," filling in the blanks with the names of any nursery from which you ever re- ceived a root touched with rot. From time to time I have im- ported stock from the house of Lemoine. It has never been any- thing but entirely clean and healthy. I cannot say as much for stock I have received from some of the nurseries in this country. With the information now accessible to horticulturists who really want it, the time would seem to be here for the name — and the incorrect notion which prompted it — to be dropped into the vasty deep of oblivion. There is no doubt that both root-gall and botrytis in its va- rious forms are taking toll of the peonies in our gardens. But I think that if gardeners will give their peonies one quarter of the observation and care that they lavish upon other flowers, the exact troubles can be found and successfully combated. Lovers of the rose devote endless hours to the study and cure of its ail- ments, because it is frankly admitted that — even with all its perfection of beauty — the rose does have some diseases. The peony is at present suffering from its own reputation for hardi- ness. There is temptation to neglect a flower so cheerful and enduring. In the little garden with mixed planting, crowded beds and overfertilized soil, the peony is more easily the victim of its enemies. It should be watched. Even Achilles had his heel ! "Peonies in the Little Garden" : as I read the title of this book once more before I lay down my pen, I have a vision. I see a little girl leaning upon the seat of an immense old chair DISEASES OF PEONIES 91 covered with needlework. With caressing fingers she traces out the old-fashioned flowers there shown in heaped-up richness. Stately white lilies and cabbage-y roses, imposing crown-impe- rials and lilacs in purple and mauve, blue irises and dazzling poppies, all receive her absorbed attention. As her gaze falls upon a very fat and very pink peony, the little girl catches her breath. "Some day, when I am a grown-up," she promises herself, "I will have a little garden full of all those flowers. It will be Heaven." The little girl is now a grown-up. Travel, change, a fair share of life's joys and vicissitudes have been hers. But true to her childish resolve, she has a garden "full of all those flowers." Nor is she disappointed. For it is Heaven. Library N. C. State College BIBLIOGRAPHY BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE PEONY The Book of the Peony, by Mrs. Edward Harding J. B. Lippincott Company, 1917 This book includes a history of the peony, a detailed list of 125 stan- dard varieties, and information as to the tree peony. Index Ketvensis, and references therein. A number of articles and pamphlets on the peony have been published. Among the more important are five Bulletins published by Cornell University (Agricultural Experiment Station) : The Peony Check-List, by J. Eliot Coit, 1907 No. 259 The Peony, by J. Eliot Coit, 1908 No. 278 Classification of the Peony, by Leon D. Batchelor, 1910 No. 306 Classification of the Peony, by Leon D. Batchelor, 1911 The Peony: A Flower for the Farmer, hy A. C. Beal, 1920 "Pseonia" — article by K. C. Davis in the Cyclopedia of American Horticulture, Vol. 3, p. 243. The Macmillan Company, 1916 Printed by McGrath-Sherrill Press, Boston Bound by Boston Bookbinding Co., Cambridge