1882.1 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



263 



Greenhouse and House Gardening. 



CO M MUNI C A TIONS. 



CANNA NEPALENSIS. 



BY CHARLES E. PARNELL, QUEENS, N. Y. 



The various species of Canna form a genus of 

 highly ornamental foliage plants of majestic 

 habit and tropical appearance, remarkable alike 

 for their large and handsome foliage, as well as 

 their beautiful and various colored flowers. 



One of the prettiest and most distinct is Canna 

 Nepalensis, a very beautiful species growing 

 from four to five feet in height, with large, bright 

 yellow flowers, which are produced from June 

 until frost. The Canna is a half hardy peren- 

 nial plant belonging to the natural order Maran- 

 tacese, and this species is a native of Nepaul, 

 from whence its specific name is derived. This 

 Canna is not at all adapted for the flower border, 

 on account of its robust habit, but for groups of 

 ornamental foliage plants, or as single specimens 

 on the lawn it is almost without an equal. 



In order to cultivate this Canna to perfection, 

 as well as to see it in all its beauty, it should be 

 grown as a single specimen on the lawn, and in 

 order to enable to so grow it is necessar^'^ that it 

 should be given a rich, loamy, very deep soil ; 

 the place where the plant is to stand should be 

 dug at least to the depth of two and a half feet, 

 and a good quantity of well-rotted stable manure 

 thorougly incorporated with the soil; if pos- 

 sible, add also a sprinkling of bone-dust; a 

 strong, robust plant will require a space of about 

 four feet in diameter. Like all of the Maran- 

 tacese, Cannas require a deep, rich soil and a 

 hot, moist atmosphere during their season of 

 growth. During the summer season we can 

 supply all their wants with the exception of a 

 moist atmosphere ; the best substitute for this is 

 to give it an abundant supply of water at the 

 roots. In order to do this it is necessary to form 

 a shallow basin around the plant, or better still, 

 to have the space allotted to the plant about 

 two inches below the surface of the lawn. When 

 hot, dry weather sets in, cover this space with 

 about two inches of coarse stable manure, being 



careful to remove all straw; once a week give it 

 a thorough soaking of water, and if a little 

 guano is dissolved in the water, so much the 

 better; thus grown the Canna will astonish all 

 by its vigorous growth and its tropical appear- 

 ance. 



A few days after frost has destroyed the foliage 

 the roots should be taken up carefully and 

 placed in a warm, dry cellar or under the stage 

 of a greenhouse for the winter — they can be 

 divided, if necessary, and planted out the ensu- 

 ing season ; they can also be grown in large pots 

 for decorative purposes, with fair results if rich 

 soil and an abundance of water be given them. 



Propagation is effected b}'^ dividing the plant 

 in the spring before planting, and also by seeds 

 which, if sown early, and tae young plants 

 properly cared for, will produce nice plants the 

 same season. As the seeds possess a hard in- 

 tegument they will vegetate much sooner if 

 slightly scratched with a file on one side, or else 

 placed in boiling water previous to sowing. The 

 seeds can be sown in a well-drained pot of light 

 sandy soil, covered slightlj'^ and placed in a 

 moist, warm situation. As soon as the plants 

 are strong enough to handle, take up carefully 

 and pot off into three or four inch pots ; place 

 the pots again in heat, and keep the plants con- 

 stantly growing until all danger of frost is over, 

 when they can be planted out in the open air. 



It is an essential point in the cultivation of 

 Cannas to have the plants as strong as possible 

 when planted out in May. 



The Canna is popularly called the Indian Shot 

 plant, from the fancied resemblance of the 

 round, black, hard seed to shot. The term Canna 

 signifies a cane or reed. 



PLANTS CROWN IN MOSS. 



BY ALTHir-:A, BOSTON, MASS. 



A collection of plants cultivated by means of 

 the Dumesnil fertilizing moss has created a 

 great sensation here, and will in time revolu- 

 tionize window gardening. C. J. Power, of 

 Framingham, has undertaken to place this new 



