March, 191 1 



THE CANADIAN HO RTICUI/r URIS T 



59 



H. The Canna 



^B Dr. J. Wjcliffe M»>hall 



^B The canna is strictly a tropical plant. 

 ^^There are over one hundred species, all 

 ^B from the hottest climates, but as far as 

 I know America has contributed but 

 one. This one, Canna flaccida, is a na- 

 tive of the swamps of Florida. 



.'Vll cannas are aquatic or semi- 

 aquatic, growing in wild, wet, swampy 

 places. It is well for those growing can- 

 nas to bear this in mind if they want 

 good cannas, as they have never left off 

 their original habits. They need heat, 

 sun, moisture, and a place as rich as 

 their old rich mud beds in their first 

 homes. All cannas in their natural state 

 are showy on account of their broad and 

 Idhg smooth leaves. 



The flowers of all cannas originally 

 did not amount to much with the excep- 

 tion of the flaccida, which is said to 

 brighten up its dreary home with a pro- 

 fusion of light yellow flowers resembling 

 tissue paper flowers and equally as frail. 

 The bloom is of short duration and is 

 soiled by the slightest touch. For these 

 reasons it is not a desirable species to 

 cultivate alone. It was not the flowers 

 of any of the species, but the foliage that 

 first attracted attention. 



But note the change which cultivation 

 and hybridization has worked with these 

 tall, stalky plants, with spare spikes of 

 dull red or yellow flowers to the beautiful 

 brilliant constant succession oF bloom- 

 ing cannas of to-day, before which all 

 other flowers (not excepting the gladi- 

 olas or geraniums) have to step aside. 



CROZY HYBRIDS 



In the Crozy hybrids we have the finest 

 strain of all the cannas. A Frenchman 

 named Antoine Crozy hybridized them 

 into existence about the year 1884. The 

 Crozy kept improving until 1890, when 

 the Crozy hybrids were known every- 

 where, and instead of one stalk with 

 flowers that wilted by the sun or were 

 injured by the rain, there were stalk 

 after stalk of big, full, bright flowers 

 that would 



"Turn on her god when he sets, 

 The same look which she turned when 

 he rose." 



From June until the frost cuts them 

 down in November, the Crozy hybrids 

 are a flame of those bright, big flowers. 

 At the end of the stalk the flowers will 

 come and when those are through a 

 .second and -often a third big cob will 

 open. When these are through another 

 stalk is up to take its place, and would 

 do so the whole year round were it not 

 for the frost. Where is there another 

 bedding plant that has so many good 

 qualities? Stately, beautiful foliage, a 

 perpetual bloomer, untroubled by dis- 

 ease or insect pest, and easy to grow. 

 Break a stalk off a little below the 

 ground, stick it in the ground and give 

 it water. It will live and flower. Nearlv 



A Bed of Cuwas at Elmcroft, the residence of Senator F. T. Frost, Smiths Falls, Ontario 



The Bed of Cannas shown in the illustration of Elmcroft is really very eflFective. It forms a 

 turn in the roadway in size, twenty-seven by fifteen feet. The shape is a pointed oval or egg 

 shape. The outside row is composed of Dwarf Gloriso, two and one half feet, the next Souvenir 

 de Antoine Orozy, three feet, with the centre of D ark Leaf David Harum, Green foliage. Presi- 

 dent Mcjvinley. (Jueen Charlotte, Dark Leaf Deep Red Mewoasal. The border is of Caladitlm and 

 the Dusty Millar. The bed has been planted f or several years with similar arrangement and 

 been both a pride and a pleasure. 



all the cannas advertised are the Crozy 

 hybrids. 



In 1896 Springer of Italy succeeded in 

 crossing the Madam Crozy and Flaccida. 

 The two were named respectively Aus- 

 tria and Italia. The former was canary 

 yellow, with crimson spots, with no re- 

 semblance to the Crozy. The flowers 

 were very large, resembling the Flac- 

 cida.. Italia was a curiously blotched 

 yellow and red. Neither were very de- 

 sirable for bedding. 



I have seen some fine hybrids by 

 American florists. One I have. Madam 

 Haskins, I think was produced by a 

 Buffalo florist. I have not yet run across 

 a pure white, pink, or rose, but the scar- 

 let, yellow, and crimson are all fine 

 varieties. 



Timely Work for Flower 

 Growers 



Many of the winter bloomers have a 

 tendency to become root or perhaps pot 

 bound. The quantities of small rootlets 

 pressing against the sides of the pot be- 

 come baked and injured by the heat of 

 the rooms or hot sun. They should have 

 a covering of cardboard or paper or sim- 

 ply a thin board nailed to the outer edges 

 of the plant shelves which will keep the 

 sun from shining directly on the pots and 

 scorching the roots. 



You can gain a great deal of time by 

 .starting nearly all the common flower- 

 ing plants now. If you have no green- 

 house or hot bed, a seed box can be ar- 

 ranged in the window, or in the cellar. 

 The plants can be removed to the garden 

 as soon as danger from frost is over, and 

 you will have flowers in the garden a 

 month ahead of your neighbors. 



Begonias, Gloxinias, and Achimenes 

 are among the best house plants. They 



are easy to raise and can be grown suc- 

 cessfully in the windows of any' dwell- 

 ing. The temperature should be about 

 sixty degrees and the plants shaded from 

 the bright sun. After the first of June 

 they can be successfully handled out of 

 doors in a sheltered and shady position. 



Cannas should be started into life this 

 month either in the greenhouse or in 

 boxes indoors, otherwise there will be 

 no flowers until late in the season. 



Hyacinths and other bulbs that were 

 potted in the fall can be brought into full 

 light in a cool place either in the green- 

 House or window garden. 



For a shady corner in the garden the 

 surest plant, and also one very effective, 

 is the tuberous begonia. Get dormant 

 plants during March, placing them in 

 pots where it is warm enough to start 

 them growing. The growth will be 

 well started when spring opens and a 

 month will be gained in obtaining 

 flowers. 



You may now sow seeds of the very 

 earliest hardy annuals such as Alyssum, 

 in boxes ready to be transplanted when 

 spring comes. 



.'V few tuberous begonias may be put 

 in moss or sand to start them off before 

 potting. 



To propagate Dahlias by cuttings, it 

 will be necesary to bring the dormant 

 plants up to fhe light now. Plant in a few 

 inches of sandy soil and they will soon 

 furnish choice cuttings which will root in 

 a few days. 



Cut a few twigs of Japanese quince, 

 lilac, dogwood, maple, elm, willow, alder 

 and various fruits. Place them in water, 

 in a sunny window ; change the water 

 every three or four days, when you will 

 be rewarded by their bursting into bloom. 



