From Single Eyes

Any time when the plant is in a dormant state, cut off a branch of the two or three year old wood, winch has a quantity of buds upon it, and cut it into pieces of about two inches in length, leaving a single bud on each piece; then pot and treat them in the same manner as grape-vines are when raised from single eyes; that is, plant them about two inches deep in pots filled with good rich soil, and place them in a gentle moist heat. Plants raised in this way are good but small.

"By grafting on the roots of the herbaceous kinds, as of P. officinalis; but it is uncertain, and when it does succeed the plants are generally shortlived, except when the grafted part is placed sufficiently under the soil, in which case it frequently emits roots from the base of the graft, and becomes a healthy plant supported by its own roots.

"The operation of grafting is performed in the following ways: -

"Select some good tubers of the herbaceous paeonies - the Chinese P. albiflora and its varieties are the best - any time, early in spring, before the plant commences growing. Then cut off a small portion of the crown, and slit the tuber, from the top and downwards, sufficiently deep to admit the scion of the montan-paeony, which must be of the last season's wood, fitting the bark of both well together, as in the ordinary way of grafting; and bind them tightly with strong matting. Then pot them singly in pots deep enough to cover the graft about an inch with soil, and place them in a cold pit or frame kept close, and give them but little water at first. They may also be grafted about the end of July or beginning of August, using the young wood of the current year in the same way as the preceding; but when they are grafted and potted they must be placed in a strong moist heat, and kept close with a bell-glass, as the wood, being rather soft, would soon perish if placed in a cold pit or frame.

Soil

It requires a strong rich loamy soil, with plenty of moisture, during the growing season: in swampy situations they will soon perish if they are in one when in a dormant state. A deep loamy or strong soil, with a dry subsoil, should be selected, and a light dry sandy or poor soil avoided; for in this they never flower well, as they always suffer from drought. But even in such a situation they may be made to flower by adding a quantity of well-rotted dung, and a little fresh loam, to the soil.

Planting

In planting them in the open border the best time is the end of October; but they may be removed at any time except when they are either in flower or showing flower; but they will be liable to lose their flower-buds if they are transplanted after they commence growing.

"They seldom suffer much from moving if it is carefully performed in the autumn; for they may then be taken up from the open border, and potted for forcing them. Forcing requires great caution as regards the heat applied: if not done gently, and the plants allowed to make fresh roots before they are subjected to much heat, they will invariably lose their flower-buds during the time of forcing; and they must only be subjected to a moderate heat at any time - sixty degrees - as they are very apt to get drawn up weakly.

"When the forced plants have done flowering they should be again planted in the open border, cutting the principal shoots back at the same time: they will then be ready by autumn for repotting, and fit for forcing again the following spring. When potted they must be well protected, in a cool pit, from the frost.

Culture

When planted permanently in the border they should have an open situation which is not in the least shaded by other plants, and they will require a little more trouble except shortening some of the longest of the shoots before the spring, when they must be slightly protected to preserve the yonngshoots from injury by the frost, which is easily done by placing a single mat, or canvass covering, over them, at a sufficient distance from the plant, so as not to hurt the young shoots by pressure.

"The covering should be removed on all fine days, but replaced during the night. If the plants are small they may be covered with a hand-glass during the night; they will then flower freely during the early part of May, and the colours will be more brilliant."- Gard. Chron.