Evening star., 1933-09-16

fOlldge alone, winch appears very carly
III Spring and continues IN vigor until
killed by heavy frost.
The safest and best time to plant
peonies is from September l until the
ground freezes. The roots are dormant
at that season and can be moved with
the least possible interference with
growth. Spring planting, advocated by
some, is practical only when the roots
have been in cold storage over Winter,
as growth starts before the ground
thaws in the Spring. In preparing the
soil. hole 18 inches in diameter and
18 inches deep should be dug and re-
filed with top soil to which a half OF
pint Of bone meal has been added.
This treatment will sustain the plant
for full year. After growth has start
ed in the second Spring, a generous
handful of a complete commercial fer
tilizer should be scattered over the
ground about four inches from the
stems A like amount of bone meal
the following Fall concludes the fer
tilizer routine. Each Spring and Fall
thereafter as long as the plant remains
undisturbed. the top dressings should
be continued Barnyard manure is not
safe material to use on peonles as 1t
/ is apt to cause root rot, and had better
be avoided More peonies have been
injured by manure than ever have been
| helped
Most growers trim their roots to six
| inches in length before shipping. Roots
| not so treated should be trimmed as the
operation stimulates new growth. Roots
may be soaked for eight hours or more
| before planting SO that they may ab-
! sorb as much moisture as possible. The
proper depth of planting is with the
eyes two inches below the surface Of
the ground. More peonies fail to bloom
| because of too deep planting than from
any other cause. The soil should be
well firmed around the roots and
soaked with water. Some prefer to
wash the dirt down onto the roots with
hose. Be sure that the ground Is
moist when freezing weather arrives,
as dry, freezing is dangerous. A
mulch of coarse littre may be placed
over the plant after the ground is
| thoroughly frozen and should be left
on until growth starts in the Spring.
Mulching is unnecessary after the first
Winter Water applied during dry
weather and frequent shallow cultiva-
tions will be effort well expended.
For exhibition blooms, the side buds
should be pinched off close to the
stem when they are the size Of garden
peas, leaving only the terminal bud.
| In cutting blooms leave at least three
| leaves on the plant. Cut blooms last
| longer and are much more beautiful il
they are cut as they begin to open
! and are allowed to open in a COOL dark
place.
! The selection of varieties is sim
pie matter for Northern gardeners, as
the ratings of the American Peony
Society may be relied upon in almost
all cases. These ratings appear before
the name of the varieties in catalogs
NorthernerS are safe in buying any
variety rating over go Those rating
over IS are outstanding and those over
80 are the very best in existence. there
being less than 40 peonies in commerce
having so high a rating. Choosing va
rieties for the South is not so easy
In general. the society ratings may be
depended upon for the early and mid
season varieties, but many Of the finest
late varieties have petalage which is Sc
close and so heavy in texture that they
will not open in our hot June weather
! Only experience can tell which late va
rieties do well. so the best plan is to
consult some one who knows before
buying the late bloomers. By careful
selection of varieties, peonies may be
had in bloom for over a month.
The following list contains four each
OF the 1Our general Color GLASSES Will "a
good range of bloom form and season
Price has not been considered as good
varieties are not necessarily high In
price, the cost being governed by sup
ply and demand: White, Festiva Max
ina. Frances Willard, Kelway's Clio
rious. LIE Cygne; light pink, President
Taft. E c. Shaw, Jeannot, Therese;
dark pink M Jules Ellie, Martha Bull
lock, Walter Faxon, Kelway's Queen
red. PHILIPPE Rivoire. Cherry Hill, Rich
ard Carvel, Karl Rosefield.
Flower Buds.
KOST of the blooms due on shrubs
N and fruit trees next Spring are
already formed and lie latent
in the immature buds formed at the
base of the present leaf stems. From
the home gardeners viewpoint the ma
jor significance of time of flower buo
formation rests in its relation to prun-
ing and culture. Obviously any pruning
of living wood from now until blooming
time next Spring may remove potential
flowers. Hence pruning should be linn.
tied to moderate thinning out Clip
ping shrubbery is simply shearing of