ow stems and comes in contact with the roots and
rots them.

For the sake of protection the peony needs no winter mulch. For this
latitude it is perfectly hardy.

After the blooming season cut all the blossom stems back to the leaves
for looks. Do not cut the leaf stalk back until about the middle of
September. By that time the plant is dormant, and all top growth can be
removed with perfect safety.

Most of us are willing to spend this time and labor if we get results
and to get the best results with peonies we must have good varieties. Of
named peonies there are somewhere in the neighborhood of 2,000
varieties. Large collections now catalogue all the way from 250 to 500
sorts. From such collections it is hard for those not thoroughly
familiar with the merits of the varieties to make an intelligent
selection of moderate priced peonies for a small planting. For people so
situated I make the following suggestion of varieties:

_White_: Candissima, Festiva Maxima, Duchess de Nemours, Duke of
Wellington, Couronne d'Or, Queen Victoria, Avalanche, Madam de
Verneville, Mons Dupont, Marie Lemoine.

_Pink_: Edulis Superba, Model de Perfection, Monsieur Jules Elie,
Livingston, Mathilde de Roseneck, Alexander Dumas.

_Light Pink_: Eugene Verdier, Delicatissima, Marguerite Gerard,
Dorchester Eugene Verdier.

_Red_: Richard Carvel, Felix Crousse, Meissonier, Rachel, Delachii,
Purpurea Superba and Rubra Superba.

So much for the old peonies. Now to the new ones. And the question
naturally comes, why any new ones? With over 2,000 varieties shouldn't
we be satisfied? No! Many of the varieties catalogued might be
eliminated, and we should be the gainer thereby. I believe I am safe in
saying that if the present list were cut down to 300 sorts it would
cover all the varieties worth while. And there is such a great chance
for improvement! So many beautiful varieties coming to us of late years
beckon us on. Crousse, Dessert and Lemoine have set the pace, and we of
America will not be left behind.

[Illustration: Looking up the rows of a bed of our seedlings three years
after transplanting. The white variety in the centre of the picture is
Frances Willard, considered by us one of the world's best whites. At the
time this picture was taken, the flowers were just opening, so one gets
no idea of the size of the blooms after they open.]

Either eighteen or nineteen years ago my father definitely set about the
bringing forth of a li