200 PLANT-BREEDING 



this most beautiful form of the foliage with the red blossoms 

 of the garden species. He transferred the plant to his garden, 

 crossed it, and, at the time of my first visit, had thousands of 

 young seedhngs, among which he selected those which, by 

 the curled form and brownish color of their first leaves, 

 already indicated the success of his combination. 



In the same way, Burbank has tried to improve garden 

 plants by the introduction of some new type and by working 

 it "into the strain" as the phrase goes. As a last instance 

 his ameHoration of the garden Canna may be quoted. Every- 

 where in our gardens we may now admire, besides the old 

 species and hybrids of Canna, which are still cultivated for 

 their large and beautiful fohage, the newer varieties of so- 

 called flowering Cannas. Their fohage is relatively low 

 but crowned with large clusters of red and yellow flowers. 

 They occur in two types, the French type or that of Crozy, 

 and the Itahan type with its orchid-shaped flowers. Bur- 

 bank has improved these by the combination of their quah- 

 ties with those of a native American species, Canna flaccida. 

 Thus resulted the Burbank Canna, which soon found its 

 way into the gardens on account of its giant, orchid-like 

 flowers. Its upper petals measure fully seven inches across 

 and are of a rich canary yellow with carmine spots. A 

 second hybrid of the same origin was the Tarrytown Canna, 

 notable for the great abundance and richness in color of its 

 flower spikes. 



Many other instances could be adduced, since it is Bur- 

 bank's custom to extend his experiments over as many 

 species as he can possibly bring together in promising 

 varieties or speciniens. Unfortunately, the evidence which 

 is necessary to insure scientific value to the practical ex- 

 periments is not always easily obtained. From a practical 

 point of view, there is no reason for pubUshing it, and when 

 it is given in catalogues or references, tliis is often done for 



