CAN 



CAP 



by combining a quarter of an ounce of niuri- 

 aled quicksilver with a pound of the paint. 



CANNA, a genus containing plants of the 

 herbaceous perennial exotic kind. The Indian 

 Flowering Reed, or Indian Shot. 



It belongs to the class and order Mmmndria 

 Mmwgjjiiia, and ranks in the natural order of 

 Scilamiiicce. 



The characters are : that the calyx is a three- 

 leaved perianthium : the le;itlets lanceolate, erect, 

 small, coloured, and permanent: the corolla 

 is monopetalous, six-parted; the divisions lan- 

 ceolate, conjoined at the base, the three outer 

 ones erect, larger than the calyx; the three 

 inner ones larger than the outer; two erect, 

 one reflected, and thus constituting the upper 

 lip: the nectary is petal-like, two-parted, . of 

 the length and ligure of the petals; the upper 

 division ascending, the inferior revolute, imi- 

 tating the lower lip of a corolla: tlie stamina 

 have no tilaments: the anthers arc linear, grow- 

 ing to the upper margin of the division which 

 bears the nectary: the pistilhnn is a roundish 

 germ, rugged, inferior: tlie style is single, 

 ensiform, growing to the anther-bearing nectary, 

 lanceolate, of the length and figure of a petal : 

 the stigma is linear, growing to the margin of 

 the stvle : the pericarpium is a roundish, rugged 

 capsule, crowned, three-grooved, three-celled, 

 and three-valved : the seeds are few, and globular. 



The species mostly cultivated are; 1. C. In- 

 dica, Common Indian Flowering Rush ; 2. C. 

 glauca, Sea-green-leaved Flowering Rush. 



The first has a thick, fleshv, tuberous root^ 

 which divides into many irregular knobs, spread- 

 ing wide near the surface of the ground, sending 

 out many large ovale leaves without any order ; 

 these at their first appearance are twisted like a 

 horn, but afterwards expand and are near a foot 

 Ions:, and five inches broad in the middle, lessen- 

 ing gradually to botii ends, and termmating in 

 points. They have many large transverse veins 

 running from the midrib to the sides, which are 

 prominent on their under side ; and between 

 each of these run two smaller, parallel, pointed 

 veins, which are peculiar to this species. The 

 stalks are herbaceous, rising;' four feet high, en- 

 compassed by the broad leafy foot-stalks of the 

 leaves ; these are compressed on two sides : at 

 the upper part of the stalk the flowers are pro- 

 duced in loose spikes, each being at first co- 

 vered by a leafy hood, which afterwards stands 

 below the flower, and turns to a brown colour. 

 Each flower has one petal, which is cut almost 

 to the bottom into six slender segments, the 

 three upper broadest; these are of a pale red 

 colour : the tlower is encompassed by a ihree- 



leaved calvx, which sits upon a small, roundish, 

 rouQ;h germ, which, after the flower is fallen, 

 swells to a large fruit or capsule, oblong and 

 rough, having three longitudinal furrows, and 

 is crowned by the three-leaved calyx of the 

 flower which remains. When the fruit is ripe, 

 the capsule opens lengthways into three cells, 

 which are filled with round, hard, black, shining 

 seeds. 



It is a native of America, flowering from June 

 til! August. 



There are varieties w-ith red flowers, with 

 scarlet flowers, with yellow flowers, and with 

 spotted flowers. 



In the second species the roots are much 

 larger than in the first sort, and strike down 

 strong fleshy fibres deep in the ground. 'I'he 

 stalks rise seven or eight feet in height. The 

 le;ives aie near two feet long, narrow, smootli, 

 and of a sea-green colour. The flowers are 

 produced in short thick spikes at the extremity, 

 are large, and of a pale yellow colour; the seg- 

 ments of the petal are broatl, but their shape 

 like those of the other sort. The seed-vessels 

 are larger, and much longer than those of 

 the other sort, but contain fewer seeds, which 

 are very large. It is a native of New Spain. 



Culture. — These plants are alw ays increased 

 by sowing the seeds in pots of good earth, in 

 the spring, plunging them into a hot-bed; and 

 when the plants are a little advanced in 

 growth, they should be pricked out separately, 

 in small pots of rich earth, rcplunging them 

 in the hotbed, giving shade, water, and fresh 

 air, hardening them by degrees till they bear it 

 fully. In the autumn the first sort should be 

 placed in the stove, and the other in a good 

 greenhouse. 



Some of the varieties also succeed in the 

 greenhouse method. 



These plants afford variety in the stove and 

 greenhouse, and have a good cflect when in 

 flower. 



CANTERBURY BELLS. See Campa- 

 nula. 



CAPE.IASMIN. See Gardenia. 

 CAPER. SeeCAPPARis. 

 CAPPARIS, a genus containing a plant of 

 the shrub!: v exotic kind for the greenhouse. The 

 Caper-Shiub. 



It belons;fe to the class and order Pohjaiultia 

 Monogynia, ana ranks in the natural order of 

 Putandnece. 



The characters are : that the calyx is a four- 

 leaved coriaceous perianthium : the leaflets are 

 ovate, concave, and gibbous : the corolla has 

 four obtuse petals, spreading very large : the 



