760 Fluctuations 



a number of introduced wild species, among 

 which the Canna indica is the oldest, now giv- 

 ing its name to the whole group. It has tall 

 stems and spikes with rather inconspicuous 

 flowers with narrow petals. It has been crossed 

 with C. nepalensis and C. Warczewiczii, and 

 the available historic evidence points to the 

 year 1846 as that of the first cross. This was 

 made by Annee between the indica and the ne- 

 palensis; it took ten years to multiply them to 

 the required degree for introduction into com- 

 merce. These first hybrids had bright foliage 

 and were tall plants, but their flowers were by 

 no means remarkable. 



Once begun, hybridization was widely prac- 

 ticed. About the year 1889 Crozy exhibited at 

 Paris the first beautifully flowering form, which 

 he named after his wife, '' Madame Crozy." 

 Since that time he and many others have im- 

 proved the flowers in the shape and size, as well 

 as in color and its patterns. In the main, 

 these ameliorations have been due to the discov- 

 ery and introduction of new wild species pos- 

 sessing the required characters. This is illus- 

 trated by the following incident. In the year 

 1892 I visited Mr. Crozy at Lyons. He showed 

 me his nursery and numerous acquisitions, those 

 of former years as well as those that were quite 

 new, and which were in the process of rapid 



