The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-08-28

(By Mrs II. +. W. Bancroft)
FaeOnie~, When 10 Plant. and How to
Grow Them.
There is no family of flowers more
intimately connected with the home
life. of the hOme-loving eastern rural
people than the paeOny, or "piney" as
our grandmothers used to call.it. AL
most every old homestead has its
clumps of red and white paeonies, and
the memory OF their gorgeous bios
SONS Is woven in and out among the
heart-strings of the sons and daugh-
tiers who have wendell their way from
New England. farther and farther
toward the setting sun: and step by
step, as the country has been develop
ed-even to the foot of the mighty
Rockies, as soon as the first hard
tasks of building humble home, and
getting the land under cultivation has
been accomplished, the thoughts of the
home builders have ever turned low
ingly to the old home surroundings,
and the daughter of the east, now the
mother of the west, has lOnged for
such clumpS OF paeOnieS as grew in
the old home garden, and that longing,
expressed In words of tender reminis-
cence in the husbands presence, has
ever touched Il responsive heart-String,
vibrant with sweet memories of the
great. nOdding. fragrant blossoms lin
mothers yard thereof, we find scat
tered over the length and breadth of
our great country: homes both humble
and stately, in who's gardens grow and
thrive this beautiful emblem of home
love-the paeony. 1t seems to adapt
ITSELF to any and all conditions of soil
or climate, and nowhere does one find
finer specimens than are grown here
in North Dakota.
OF Ancient Origin.
History tells us it was named for
the Greek physician Paeon, who used
it in his medicines to heal Pluto's
wounds inflicted by Hercules. We find
that in ancient times, great many
superstitions were associated with the
flower-such as the belief that it en-
anated from the moon-that it pos
sessed the power to chase away evil
spirits, heal the sick. etc. Even today,
in China and Japan. is the paeony re-
garded with reverence. 1t is the royal
flower of China: and right royalty is
it worthy of the honor; for in the floral
kingdom. it is indeed of the blood,
royal. Therefore, let us prepare the
beds in which these royal beauties
are to repose and display their charms,
in the most careful and thorough man
ner. providing for their every need,
which, happily is not heavy task.
How to Prepare the Reds.
Our native heavy rich loom is not
we'll adapted to the growing of per-
ennial roots or bulbs. except it Is we'll
lightened by the use of sand, and we'll
decayed old black manure, this latter
element which is absolutely necessary
in all flower beds, can always be pro-
cured from old dairy barnyards, the
best sand is the coarse sharp kind used
by builders for mortar, use equal
quantities of native soil, sand and
manure. working them all together
until thoroughly mixed.
To prepare the beds-and right here
let me say, always plant paeonies in
beds, placing number of the same
family together, never plant the roots
singly out on the lawn, such treat
ment utterly destroys the finer beau
ties of the paint, leaving always the
impression that they are merely a
thing of commerce, and displayed to
catch the eye of the prospective buyer.
Select a location we'll drained if pos
sible, if not we'll drained, then throw
out the soil to the depth of two feet,
placing in the bottom layer of drain
age material fully six inches deep, if
you have it. use gravel, if not, then
use coal ashes, old tin cans pounded
out fiat. broken crockery, ETC., level
this all down evenly. then fill in the
mixed soil, pressing it down firmly,
prepare the bed at the time the roots
are ordered, and it will be nicely set
tied and ready for planting when the
roots arrive.
Desirable Varieties.
1t will be of interest to all flower
lovers, to learn that P. officinalis the
old well-known crimson variety, was
first introduced into England from
Switzerland, which is it's native habi-
tat in 1913. That p albifora, the old
time double white, was received in