Peonies, The Manual of the American Peony Society, edited by James Boyd © 1928 American Peony Society: [Descriptive List of Chinese Peonies]:
SECRETARY FEWKES. (Shaylor, 1916.) 8.6.
Double type; large; midseason. Broad, cupped, outer petals and center of pale rose-pink, with a flesh-white collar of narrow petals arranged in bunches; with age the flower becomes almost white; fair rose-like fragrance. Tall; free-flowering; fairly strong stems. Good foliage.
A well-shaped flower of attractive color which keeps well both on the plant and after being cut, but there is nothing remarkable about either the plant or bloom.
"I do not consider this variety particularly valuable, but I will say that the flowers which were shown to me at the time the name was given had a close resemblance to Kelway's Glorious, and I was much disappointed when I found that the variety did not hold up to this character, as I had felt that my name was to be associated with a variety which would bear flowers equal to Kelway's Glorious, with a strong and vigorous habit of plant."—Fewkes.
SECRETARY FEWKES (Shaylor, 1917) - Double - Pink - Midseason. Tall. Fair rose-like fragrance. Large. Broad, cupped, outer petals and center of pale rose-pink, with a flesh-white collar of narrow petals arranged in bunches with age the flower becomes almost white. Free-flowering; fairly strong stems. Good foliage. M.
