I860.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
57 
Cannas as Ornamental Plants. 
BY H. JEAN SISLEY, LYONS, FRANCE. 
[The following plea for the cultivation of the 
Cannas, from our correspondent, a distinguished 
French horticulturist, we can heartily endorse. 
They are, however, more cultivated now 
than at the time to which he alludes, but 
not nearly as much so as they should be, 
and we hope to see them take a place 
among our most popular plants.—Ed.] 
The Canna was first introduced into 
Europe about three centuries ago, under 
the name of Ganna Indica, and although 
nothing positive is known about its in¬ 
troduction, it is generally admitted that 
it was brought by Spanish missionaries 
from Brazil, where it grows abundantly 
in marshy and rather shaded places. This 
species is still known and cultivated in 
botanic gardens and is considered as the 
original type, although some others are 
described as distinct species, like C'.flac- 
cida, iridiflora, discolor, and glauea,v?\ licli, 
in the present state of botanical science, 
can be admitted (under reserve) on ac¬ 
count of the great difference existing be¬ 
tween them. They are all natives of 
South America, except fiaccida , which 
grows in Florida and South Carolina. A 
great many others, although described by 
some botanists, who are fond of creating 
species, as distinct ones, must, I think, be 
considered as varieties from the original 
type, influenced by climate, culture, and 
other unknown causes. But a discussion 
on this subject would carry me far away 
from my main object, which is to call 
the serious attention of horticulturists 
and lovers of beautiful plants to the Can¬ 
na. When I visited the United States, 
eight years ago, I was surprised not to see 
them in gardens, knowing that they grow 
wild in the country. The reason of their 
omission in American gardens, and even 
in your splendid Central Park (in 1860), 
is very likely the same which deferred 
their cultivation in European gardens. 
Cannas had been cultivated in hot-liouses un¬ 
til 1846, it being the general opinion that plants 
from tropical climates could not grow in the 
open air in colder countries, when Th. Annee, 
who had been for several years French Con¬ 
sular Agent at Valparaiso, brought with him to 
Paris a numerous collection, of which he planted 
a portion in the open air. This trial succeeding, 
he successively planted them all out, and in 
1848 he tried to 
cross them by ar¬ 
tificial impregna- 
jtion, and obtained 
the beautiful An¬ 
neei from Indica, 
fecundated by Ne- 
palensis. But it 
was not before the 
creation of the fine 
public squares of 
Paris, in 1855, that 
the Cannas were 
cultivated in the 
open air to any 
extent. Bardlet 
Deschamps, the 
able principal gardener of Paris, not mind¬ 
ing the violent opposition he met with, con¬ 
tinued Annie’s experiments, and was soon fol¬ 
lowed by several amateurs and horticulturists. 
This induced Annee to continue liis artificial 
fecundations in 1857, at which time he obtained 
Wai'sceviczioides Anneei, which he crossed again 
with the other original sorts, and obtained sev¬ 
eral very fine hybrids. Since that time several 
horticulturists have continued the same prac¬ 
Fig. 1.— BAD PRUNING. 
THE GIGANTIC CANNA— ( Co.'nua gigantea.) 
tice, and have produced a great number of fine 
varieties, far superior to the old type, and which 
are now cultivated throughout Europe. 
The most remarkable and distinct of the 
varieties now cultivated in Europe are: 
Anneei, Gnayaguilla, 
Anrautiaca splendida, Insignia, 
Anneei rubra, Iridiflora rubra, 
Auguste Ferrier, Jean Vandeal, 
Biliorell, Liliflora, 
Barilleti, Marechal Yaillant, 
Daniel Ilooibrenk, Nigricans, 
Depute Ilenon, Picturata nana, 
Edouard Jlorren, Picturata fastuosa, 
Fiaccida, Premices de Nice, 
Grandiflora floribunda, Purpurea spectabilis. 
They have the advantage over a great many 
ornamental plants, that although issued from 
the same type, they differ very much in hight, 
as well as in size,form and color of the foli¬ 
age, color, size, and character of the flowers. 
No plant can be compared to the Cannas for 
ornamental qualities, in a small garden as well 
as in a park. In a small garden a single plant 
will, on a grass plot, produce a beautiful effect, 
the flowers succeeding without interruption. 
In a large garden, or a park, twenty, fifty, 
or a hundred Cannas, disposed in a semicircle, 
having in the background a plantation of 
tall evergreens, pines, etc., when well grouped, 
with the higher ones from 9 to 10 feet at the 
further end, and the smaller ones of 3 to 4 feet 
in front, will produce a really splendid sight. 
The leaves vary in color, from pale green to 
dark purplish brown, and in form from. those 
narrow and pointed, to large and broad ones, 
some being erect, others gracefully inclined. 
The flowers vary from pale yellow to dark 
crimson; some are striped and spotted, and in 
point of form equal to the finest Gladiolus. 
The culture is most easy. Treated as 
•Dahlias, they will flourish everywhere, 
and offer this advantage, that they will 
succeed as well in the most sunny position 
as in a shaded one, and are not affected 
by the neighborhood of trees, provided 
they are supplied with plenty of water 
and liquid manure. They can be planted 
out as soon as danger of frost is over, 
and when in autumn frost lias killed the 
foliage, the roots must be taken up and put 
in a dry cellar or some other sheltered 
place. The propagation of the Canna 
is also very easy, it being, simply to 
divide the roots at the time of planting. 
Pruning—The Why and How. 
So many letters have been received, 
the purport of which is, “ How shall I 
prune my trees ?” that we propose to 
devote a few articles to pruning. These 
queries.come from those who find them¬ 
selves in charge of trees for the first time, 
and our articles will be written for such, 
rather than for the experienced orchard- 
ist. Many think that trees must have an 
annual pruning, just as in old times 
people used to consider it necessary to 
have an annual bleeding. Scarcely any 
subject connected with horticulture has 
been more discussed than that of pruning, 
and the novice is bewildered when he 
reads that he must prune to make a tree 
grow, and prune to check luxuriant 
growth; prune a tree if it bears too little, 
and if it bears too much—prune it. All 
these are correct, but one had better not 
prune at all unless he has some idea of 
what he is to do it for. It will be seen that 
we cannot answer in general terms the 
question, “How shall I prune my trees?” 
as each case, did we know its condition, would 
require a different answer. For the present we 
will confine our remarks to the most frequently 
occurring cases, in which old trees have become 
crowded with limbs through neglect. Here the 
most careless observer must see that light and 
air must be let 
into the head, and 
that crowded and 
crossed branches 
must be removed. 
This never* need 
have occurred had 
the tree been 
properly treated 
when young, but 
it is now in this 
condition, and the 
only help is sur¬ 
gery. Pruning is 
not only need¬ 
ed, but judicious 
pruning; the tree 
must be studied, 
to see wdiat the 
effect will be of Fi S* 3 - G00D PRUNING ‘ 
removing certain limbs. The head must not 
merely be made more open, but the tree at tha 
same time left shapely and well-balanced. Again, 
trees, where there is much passing near them, 
