FLOWER GARDEN AND LAWN. 



^53 



a sash and frame gives, especially if the 

 plants have been kept in a very close green- 

 house. The little dwarf growing bedding 

 plants known as alternantheraare often very 

 difficult to secure cuttings from for propaga- 

 tion purposes. A good warm (not rank) hot 

 bed isthebestplacetoputstockplants of alter- 

 nanthera in to secure rapid growth. Plunge 

 the pots or boxes into earth or ashes up to 

 the rim and keep them close except on sunny 

 days. Young plants as well as stock plants 

 can be made to move rapidly by this treat- 

 ment. Heliotrope, coleus and achyranthes 

 can be treated in the same way, but these 

 last mentioned require more air than the 

 alternantherasdo,onbright days, and perhaps 

 a little shade on very hot days. 



Cannas.- — Roots of these plants should be 

 brought from underneath the benches orfrom 

 the warm cellars where they have been win- 

 tered in. If the clumps are large it will be best 

 to divide them up into clumps having from 

 two to* four good strong eyes. This can be 

 done by simply breaking away the one section 

 , from the other with the hands. The use of the 

 knife in this operation should be avoided if 

 possible. Pot the small clumps up into fairly 

 light soil and water thoroughly once. Very 

 little water will be required afterwards until 

 the plants have become well established. 

 Cannas treated in this way can be brought 

 on early and give immediate results when 

 planted out. The pots of these can be stood 

 down on the walks to start them, if the situ- 

 ation is not too dark, and care is taken that 

 they do not get too much water. The pos- 

 sibilities of the'canna as a summer decorative 

 plant are only commencing to be realized. 

 The recent introductions of dwarfer growing, 

 large flowering plants will assist greatly in 

 advancing their present popularity. It is 

 quite possible, taking the coleus as an exam- 

 ple in this respect, that we may see as great 

 an advancement" in cannas in regard to dec- 

 orative foliage during the next decade as 

 there has been^with coleus, when compared 



• 



with the first introductions of the " East In- 

 dian Nettle," as coleus where at first com- 

 monly termed. Imagine a canna of dwarfer 

 habit than the Charles Henderson (three 

 feet), a spike of flowers equal to the flowers 

 of the Burbank Canna, and foliage that 

 will vie with the beautiful markings and* 

 rich coloring of a pandanus veitchii, or of a 

 spotted diffenbachia, or with the deep rich 

 shadings of a maranta; and you will have an 

 imaginary glimpse of what I pre- 

 dict will be a near approach to the B^^ 

 ideal canna of the future. But this !" f 

 is prediction and not seasonable 

 notes on the culture of the canna. 



The foliage of the canna, espec- 

 ially when young, is very tender, 

 and on that account requires care 

 on first taking the plants out of 

 doors. Late in May or early in 

 June is about the best time to ex- 

 pose them outside. 



Shading. — Plants will require care- 

 ful shading and an increased sup- 

 ply of water as 

 the heat of the 

 sun increases. 

 Water and sy- 

 ringe the plants 

 early in the day. 

 Close ventilators 

 early in the after- 

 noon. Give in- 

 creased ventila- 

 tion as required. 



The Herbace- 

 ous Border. — 

 About the end 

 of April or early 

 in May is the 

 best time to at- 

 tend to herbace- 

 ous plants in the 

 flower garden. 

 Any dividing or 

 transplanting of p,. ^^3^ j— 



W///A 



