Feb. 

 1-14 



THE GARDEN WEEK BY WEEK 



brought on by false forcing culture) which laid it low is 

 still lurking in the borders ; but it is not to be despised 

 as a seedling plant. The principal seedsmen sell well- 

 selected strains, and the plants have better constitutions 

 than those raised from cuttings. Besides, the plants are 

 so cheap compared with named varieties that if the worst 

 comes to the worst the loss is not severely felt. By 

 sowing now in a warm house, and preventing deli- 

 cacy of plant by 

 thin culture, abund- 

 ance of air, early 

 potting, and harden- 

 ing in a frame, a 

 supply of vigorous 

 plants can be 

 secured that may 

 V be expected to 

 bloom the same 

 year. 



The Gay Carina. — 

 This brilliant plant, 

 handsome alike in 

 its leaves and in 

 its flowers, has been 

 marvellously de- 

 veloped by florists, 

 and one can but 



Fig. 25.— Propagating Cannas. 

 a. Old tuber with young suckers growing at b, 



c. Old tuber covered with compost. 



d, A rooted sucker. 



.. How to pot the sucker. ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ ^jjj 



not impart to it, by vegetative reproduction and 

 forcing culture, a delicacy of constitution that may 

 render it an easy prey to disease. Seminal reproduction, 

 or the raising of plants by the most natural of all pro- 

 cesses — sowing seed, may be expected to act as a safe- 

 guard. It is true that we cannot be sure of getting the 

 68 



