Here is the original text... from:
PEONIES
The Manual of the American Peony Society
EDITED BY JAMES BOYD
Copyright 1928 by American Peony Society
PEONY DON'TS
1. don't buy from dealers who are not careful in their garden methods and their catalogue lists.
2. don't buy anything smaller than the standard three- to five-eye division.
3. don't divide plants less than two years old.
4. don't plant big clumps or big roots.
5. don't permit manure to come in contact with the roots.
6. don't plant too deep or you will have no bloom—two or three inches to the topmost bud is deep enough.
7. don't try to divide the plant immediately after digging it up. Let it stand in the air an hour or two.
8. don't split roots when dividing if you can possibly avoid it.
9. don't plant where peonies have grown before, without changing the soil.
10. don't fail to disbud if you want exhibition bloom.
FWIW the only place that I've seen #7 echoed was by Martha Stewart and she said that it was much easier to divide the peonies when you allowed them to rest for 2 hours.
