The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1910-07-14
Paeonias For the Home.

AS many of your readers will be
interested in the cultivation of peon-
les, it affords me pleasure in sending
you the following brief field notes for
publication.
This genus of plants is known as
Paeonia botanically, probably named
after that ancient country where it
was first discovered. There are three
distinct species in cultivation, Paeonia
moutan or tree peony which blooms
here as early as March sometimes,
Paeonia tenuifolia, or the ferry 1eaved
variety with bright red flowers, and
Paeonia albiflora or the Chinese her
baeeous peony the most important
group, the one to which these notes
refer.
Found growing wild in China, north
ern Asia, and Siberia, the original type
consisted of plants with single flowers
of various colors, all having yellow
stamens. The rigorous climate of these
countries probably accounts for the
extreme hardness of the plants we
cultivate today.
The old fashioned peony of grand
mothers garden fame is still popular,
owing to it's intensely rich crimson
shade, combined with its early season
of bloom, but the later sorts blooming
in June are much superior, having
been wonderfully improved in all the
points that make for an excellent fra
grant flower
Possessing these qualities, it is not
surprising that they have reached a
prominent position among the cult
waited flowers of today, rivaling the
rose in their beauty and sweet per-
fume. Their decorative value has
been rather underestimate, and print
| ed descriptions often fail to do them
| justice.
! Among our best early sorts following
| the offieinalis variety, may be men
| toned "Festiva alba" also Queen Vic
toria,' both whites, ''Floral Treasure
and "Delicatissima" in delicate silyery
pink and "Rubra Triumphans" of a
rich glossy crimson with golden sta
mems showing through the opening
petals.
Twenty-Five blooms were counted
this season on a single clump of the
| Floral Treasure" variety, showing its
free blooming habit.
/ Chief among double white varieties
is "Festiva maxima' which place ii
has held for over fifty years, being a
| grand sort of the florist and in great
demand for all festive decorations
But this magnificent sort has its
counterpart in a more dwarf form
| blooming week to ten days later
| which for some reason has been over
looked, making it rare sort, but we
consider much superior to the orr
ginal. The above illusshrdluetaoinu
| ginal.
| Among the tri-color. sorts, none give
such satisfaction as the Golden Har-
vest with it's blush guard petals, yell
low crown, and white center touched
with crimson, being profuse bloom
er, carrying magnificent, well-built
flowers.
| Avery gem among the late peonies
is Dorchester" being of delicate sal
mon flesh color, the first blooms ap-
pearing after the middle Of June.
While the peony will live in nearly
| any soil or situation, It will not reach
| any degree of perfection In poor light
sandy or grayelly soil, but requires
good rich soil, deeply worked. Good
COW manure is the best stable fertil-
izer to use, and should be applied al
the rate Of thirty tons to the acre.
| The best time to plant them is in
September, while they are dormant
| setting them at least three feet apart
each way If wanted for future blooms
and four feet Is still better An open
sunny location suits them best, but
they do equally we'll in a partially
shaded position II not near the roots
J of large trees, Being perfectly hardy