Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XII.djvu/801

PAER P^STUM the same varieties in color as the herbaceous kinds, and some of them are fragrant. There are 50 or more varieties in the catalogues, but many of these are not very distinct; among the most striking are the poppy-flowered (var. papaveracea), with large single flowers, some- times 10 in. across, with white petals having a deep purple spot at the base of each ; some of the poppy-flowered kinds are blush or rose- colored, with purple centres. It is within a comparatively few years that pseonies have been regarded as florists' flowers ; the introduc- tion of new and fine varieties has caused their merits to be appreciated, and they are now much used for decorative planting. From their size they are not suitable for small gardens or borders, but if set where they can be seen from a little distance, against a background of ever- green or other dark foliage, they are very ef- fective, and their foliage is pleasing when the plants are not in bloom. The herbaceous spe- cies and their varieties are perfectly hardy ; the slender or fennel-leaved blooms early in May ; the varieties of the common paeony flower from the middle to the end of May, and are succeed- ed by the Chinese sorts, which continue through June and July. New varieties are obtained from seed, which should be sown as soon as ripe, and even then it often remains dormant for a year. The established sorts are multi- plied by division ; this should be done in early autumn, which is also the proper time for trans- planting, as the plants are then perfectly dor- mant ; if disturbed in spring, they seldom flower that year. The plant, being carefully taken up, is divided into as many pieces as there are buds, if a tuber can be secured with each. To obtain the best results, they should have a rich soil and be left undisturbed for several years. The varieties of the tree pseony bloom in May and later; in very cold localities they need a slight protection ; they are propagated from suckers thrown up by old plants, by layering, by cuttings, and by grafting, either upon roots of the same kind or those of the herbaceous species. Our native species is Pceonia Brownii (P. Californica is the same), which is found from the mountains of Washington territory to those of California ; it is a low herbaceous plant, with comparatively small reddish-pur- ple flowers, which do not fully expand. PAER, Ferdinando, an Italian composer, born in Parma in 1771, died in Paris, May 3, 1839. He is said to have composed an opera at the age of 10. He produced several operas at Vienna, acted as cliapelmaster at Dresden, was appointed imperial composer by Napoleon in 1806, and between 1818 and 1825 was direc- tor of the Italian opera in Paris. He was a prolific composer of operas, cantatas, over- tures, &c., and his dramatic pieces abound in striking melodies and effective accompani- ments. His chief operas are Camilla, Sargino, Achille, Leonora, Dido, Griselda, and Agnese. PJ2STFM (originally Posidpnia, city of Po- seidon or Neptune), an ancient city of south- ern Italy, situated in the N. "W. extremity of Lucania, about 4 m. S. E. of the mouth of the Silarus (Selo), and on a bay of the Tyrrhenian sea, called sinus Pcestanus (now the gulf of Sa- lerno). Its site, now called Pesto, is covered with magnificent ruins, on an uninhabited plain by the seashore. The principal remains are those of two temples, which, with the ex- Euined Temples at Paestum. ception of the temple of Corinth, are the most massive examples of Doric architecture now extant. The finer and older of the two, known as the temple of Neptune, is open to the sky, and is 180 ft. long and 80 ft. wide. The oth- er, variously called the temple of Vesta and of Ceres, is 107 ft. long by 48 wide. The walls are built of large polyhedric masses of traver- tine, and form an irregular pentagon 3 m. in circuit; they are in many places still 12 ft. high. Remains of eight towers and four gate- ways are traceable, and the eastern gateway