Canna. 87 



in good trim till the borders must be cleared. All shel- 

 tered situations, places near warm walls, and nice snugly- 

 warmed dells, are suitable positions for them. They are 

 generally used in huge and ugly masses, both about 

 Paris and London ; but their true beauty will never be 

 seen till we learn to place them tastefully here and there 

 among the flowering-plants — just as we place sprigs of 

 graceful fern in a bouquet. A bed or two solely devoted 

 to them will occasionally prove very effective ; but 

 enormous meaningless masses of them, containing per- 

 haps several hundred plants of one variety, are things to 

 avoid and not to imitate. As to culture and propagation, 

 nothing can be more simple : they may be stored in 

 winter, as readily as potatoes, under shelves in the houses, 

 in the root-room, or, in fact, anywhere if covered up to 

 protect them from frost. And then in spring, when we 

 desire to propagate them, nothing is easier than pulling 

 the roots in pieces, and potting them separately. After- 

 wards it is usual to bring them on in heat, and finally 

 harden them off previous to planting out in the middle 

 of May ; but a modification of this practice is desirable, 

 as some kinds are of a remarkably hardy constitution, 

 and make a beautiful growth if put out without so much 

 as a leaf on them. The soil for all Cannas should be 

 deep, rich, and light. 



In rambling through the suburbs of Paris, I once 

 came upon a tuft of Canna springing up strongly 

 through a box-edging — pretty good evidence that it 

 had remained there for some years. Upon inquiring of 

 the proprietor of the garden I found this was the case, 

 and that he had no doubt of the hardiness of several 



