The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-07


have really seven colors to divide
.he sorts into, viz. "a paper white,
(2) cream or yellow. go blush or deli
cate flesh, ca light or medium pink,
go deep pink and rose, O) red, 90
crimson and deep red. In this way we
have tried out some 1,400 varieties and
at the present time are carrying less
than eighty.
Recommending varieties for other
localities is not a very safe PROPOSE
ton, and I shall only give few notes
on how certain sorts conduct them
selves at our nursery. We have dis
carded MISSIONER because Of It's
crooked stems, Madame Emile Gale
because of having no low lateral
leaves, which prevents cutting Il with
long stem; whereas Octavie Demay,
dwarf growing delicate pink, admits
of cutting with a fairly good stem
without injuring the plant and is a
wonder. So far with us, the prize win
ming Jubilee has a very weak stem.
Golden Harvest Is one of the mixed
colored kinds that florists cannot send
on definite color order unless the
customer knows IL by name.
Madame Crousse is tender in our
climate and often skips q season in
blooming. Because Rbcharhfson's
Rubra Superba has proved very shy
we no longer carry it. while Richard.
sons Grandifiora is all that its name
implies and a very free bloomer be-
sides. This last is one of, those UNI
usual sorts that comes into bloom over
long period. so one must have a
good many plants to cut from to get
fair quantity of flowers at any given
time.
Adolphe Rousseau il a wonderful
BLACK" but too loose and shows the
yellow stamens too much The greatly
talked of pink, Lady Alexandra Duff
is on the same order.
Single blooming varieties attract
some but are not very suitable for
shipping.
La Tulipe is Objectionable in bu,.
as the florists call it candy bud
whereas the bud of Kelway's Venus
leaves nothing to wish for.
No matter how fine a sort NAV nj
timately develop on the plant. IL in
the early stages Of opening it is likely
TO water log" like Charlemagne. il is
not worth carrying. Probably more
lleilcatissima are used at June we'd
dings than any other light pink sort.
The most popular selling red is
Felix Crousse. with its perfect bomb
shape and large guard petal, which al
ways indicates a good storage variety.
Many will be surprised that we have
finally dropped Edulis Superba. II
does so we'll in many places. but OH our
records. which we have kept annually
since 1888. it is not nearly as depend
able as NJ Jules Ellie and generally
not more than day earlier. In some
quarters Madame Ducel is grown. bur
with us IL is smaller and so similar
IN shade and time of blooming to NJ
Jules Ellie that we do not need 1t.
We notice an increasing empbas;s
laid on the desirabillty Of the fragrant
varieties.
Having settled what roots TO carry
we will now discuss the best soil con-
ultions. 1t should be rich, deep. well
drained and with plenty of sunshine.
For root propagation a loose loan
makes the tubers admit of better d.
viding. but the heavier soil with even
clay subsoil, produces the best blooms
Not only plenty OF well rotted manure
before planting should be plowed in
but also, an annual mulch thereafter
in the fall, but not covering the ton
of the crown or touching the Stem
Pigeon. sheep or COW manure and even
some hardwood ashes make the best
FERTILIZER for our prairie soil. Peonias
are such gross feeders that a large
quantity of fertilizer il worked in
thoroughly can be we'll taken care Of
Out no manure should ever touch the
roots. For most favorable results
there should be plenty Of water during
the blooming period, and toward the
end Of August, to make large eyes for
the next season. Some of the forego-
Ing remarks might be classified as
labor rather than soil.
Labor = The planting should be
cone during the early part of Septem-
Der, In rows three feet apart by fifteen
inches between plants down the row.
In two years time, If the bed is 10
stand for blooming, every other plant
should be lifted, divided and planted
elsewhere.
III there is any question of the
plants having any stem disease. dur
ing the month of September cut off
the old leaf tops level with the ground
and burn them up. The surest method
or Keeping the roots free from disease
is 10 dig out and destroy every large
plant among blooming ones that mas
no flowers. In fact we have made a
practice for years in all our standard
sorts OF destroying June l every peony
plant TWO or more years old that has
no buds This avoids the possible
spread OF disease and also prevents the
perpetuating Of shy blooming strains
OF peonies. AS long as plants bloom
we need not worry.
The young shoots as they push up
IN the spring are quite beautiful and
differ decidedly. At this stage of their
development we go over our Acids