June i, 1907. 
THE GARDENING WORLD, 
375 
Cannas. 
How to Grow these Magnificent Plants. 
Charming Foliage. 
_ ~ 2 ) Brilliant Flowers. 
thing to need attention was the selecting 
of the varieties suitable for the soil and 
situation of the garden, and also the most 
useful for the requirements of those we 
have to please. It should also be an im¬ 
portant point to obtain varieties that last 
in flower the longest, and with such a 
splendid selection of annuals to choose 
from there is no need to have a variety 
that is of a coarse and weedy habit. As to 
varieties the Sweet Pea, without doubt, 
stands pre-eminent on account of its com¬ 
bined qualities, duration of flowering 
periods, perfume and suitability for cut¬ 
ting. Then followed Lavateras, Zinnias, 
Salpiglossis, Mignonette, Clarkias, Scabi¬ 
ous, Coreopsis, Godetias, Shirley Poppies, 
Gaillardias, Asters, etc. A splendid dis¬ 
cussion followed, sustained by Messrs. 
Turnham, Booker, Fry, Grieve, Judd, 
Mabbot, Burfitt. Bailey, Cox, Hinton, 
Loader, Neve, Carter, Dore, Townsend, 
and Durward. 
Wargrave and District Gardeners’ Association. 
On May 15th Mr. Geo. Brine, of Bear¬ 
wood Gardens, read a very instructive 
■paper on “ Shrubs ” before the members 
of the above society. He described the 
best position for a shrubbery, the kind of 
soil best suited to various shrubs, the time 
for planting, methods of propagation 
,seed, layers, and cuttings), pruning, and 
onded with a list of plants which would 
give the most pleasure and also make the 
shrubbery and borders attractive for the 
greatest length of time. He illustrated 
bis remarks with numerous specimens of 
he shrubs mentioned. A good discussion 
Allowed. Mr. Bazeley^ of the Twyford 
Nurseries, exhibited a well-flowered plant 
if Sempervivum tabulaeforme. 
Royal Botanic Society. 
At a meeting of the Fellows of the Royal 
Botanic Society of London, held on May 
17th, it was resolved “That the Duke of 
reck, as president of the society, and the 
/ice-presidents be consulted as to calling 
:he Fellows together to discuss the present 
htuation of the society.” Mr. J. S. Rubin¬ 
stein said that with the present Council in 
rffice reform was impossible. The society 
,vas ,£34,000 in debt, and was losing ,£1,000 
a year, besides declining in membership. 
Blue Tits and Fruit Buds. 
It has always been a matter of doubt 
in my mind, says a writer in “The Field,” 
is to whether blue tits were enemies or 
friends in a garden. For the past three 
wears after mild winters they have per¬ 
sistently picked to pieces almost every 
blossom bud on my Apple trees, so much 
so that the ground under the trees has 
aeen greeh with the refuse. I could not 
, oelieve that they were in search of insects, 
and I had condemned them as a nuisance. 
The past winter has been a very hard 
me, and probably fatal to -a great deal 
if insect life. Whether that is the rea- 
i son or not, the fact remains' that not a 
single bud has been touched, though the 
; its are as numerous as ever and are con- 
■tantly on the trees. The trees are a 
nass of opening blossom buds, already 
last the stage when they have been at- 
acked previously. I should be interested 
o hear whether others have had the same 
xperience. 
Compared with the few varieties we had 
some quarter of a century ago, one would 
hardly have anticipated the vast strides 
made, not merely in colour, but in size, 
of flower and markings of the same, as 
that given us to-day. Foliage, too, is 
much stouter, and the majority of the 
varieties more dwarf and compact in 
growth. Not only are they suitable to 
grow as pot plants, they do well in beds 
and borders during the summer months. 
Here they should have shelter from the 
winds, but all the sun that is available 
and abundance of root waterings in dry 
weather, an occasional dose of weak man¬ 
ure water standing them in good stead. 
The value of Cannas in pots for the de¬ 
coration of greenhouse and conservatory 
are known to most flower lovers, their 
bold foliage alone being conspicuous, 
among other flowering plants such as Be¬ 
gonias, Fuchsias, Pelargoniums, Achi- 
menes, Gloxinias, etc. They are strictly 
summer and autumn blooming subjects, 
but some cultivators grow and flower 
them fairly well throughout the winter in 
a temperature such as afforded Cyclamen, 
Primulas, etc. Plenty of light and close 
to the glass-roof is what meets their re¬ 
quirements. Plants that have been rest¬ 
ing since November need dividing about 
the middle of March, retaining the pieces 
of rhizome that have most growing shoots 
on, and trimming the long, fleshy root a 
bit before placing them into 5^-inch and 
6-inch pots respectively. Good loam 
should preponderate, adding a little leaf 
soil and well-decayed manure or fresh 
horse droppings rubbed through a J^-inch 
Shrubs & Trees 
The Art of Planting. 
My brother amateurs will probably have 
had as many failures as I had until I began 
to think, observe and inquire about the 
right way of planting things—hence these 
hints. Trees and shrubs receive their 
food through the small fibrous roots, which 
must be kept in close contact with the 
earth. I used to cut these away in the 
days of my ignorance. 
Long tap roots reduce the supply of 
fruit and flowers, with increasing useless 
wood and rapidlv exhaust the soil. By 
all means cut these away. 
Where that is possible, soak the ground 
around the trees you intend to remove for 
a couple of days in advance, and take 
them up with as much soil about the roots 
as is possible. I used to wash the soil 
away. I am wiser now. Prepare the place 
where you are going to plant your trees 
by digging out the old earth, if unfit—in 
any case by loosening it—and mixing in 
wood ashes, rotted manure, decayed leaves 
and the like. 
If vou get vour trees from a distance 
you will have them cleared from soil and 
packed with wet moss and the like, 
should prefer a nice ball of soil left round 
the roots, but I suppose nurserymen 
reckon it too heavy for carriage. It is 
sieve, and enough coarse river or silver 
sand, all thoroughly blended, which will 
grow Cannas a treat. Do not press the 
compost too firmly, it prevents the young 
shoots pushing up kindly, and when 
transferring them into 9-inch and 10- 
inch pots dispense with the recognised 
potting stick as much as possible. When 
potted up give a little bottom heat, if pos¬ 
sible, failing this, a vinery at work with 
a night temperature of 60 degs. will soon 
promote growth, providing they are not 
over-watered until the new roots perme¬ 
ate the soil, when abundance of root mois¬ 
ture becomes necessary. Transfer them 
to larger pots in good time, and as soon 
as well started, a cooler temperature will 
suffice, such as the greenhouse affords to¬ 
wards the middle of May. Varieties are 
numerous, especially those termed 
Gladiolus-flowered, which comprise rose 
pink, crimson, yellow, vermilion, scarlet, 
red, and creamy white. A good white 
I believe is yet to come. Orchid-flowered 
varieties are superb, their brilliancy of 
colour and large flowers calling for much 
admiration. Cannas appear exempt from 
disease and insects, unless it be green 
aphis, while in heat fumigating is the best 
cure for this. These plants often prove 
hardy in Devon and Cornwall, but it is 
the general rule to take them from the 
ground about November and store them 
similar to the Dahlia, while those in pots 
must be kept away from heat as well as 
frost, and may be placed with the rest if 
the pots are required. 
J. Mayne. 
Bicton, Devon. 
a good plan to soak the roots in a thick 
mixture of earth and water, as that sup¬ 
plies much-needed nourishment at once. 
Cut away with a sharp knife all bruised 
fibrous and tap roots. 
I used to plant all trees as deeply as^ I 
could. For many kinds this is fatal. Fruit 
trees must not be planted deeper than 
they were in the nursery. The roots should 
be spread loosely on the ground and a 
mound of earth spread over them to ob¬ 
tain the best results. In any case deep 
planting is wrong unless it is for trees 
which require it. For instance, Clematis 
should always be planted two eyes deeper 
than it was before, or it will surely die. 
The safe way is to ask your nurseryman 
how to plant things. 
One most important point to be remem¬ 
bered is to shake plenty of fine earth in 
amongst the roots after you have spread 
them out flat and loosely. Then shake the 
tree to cause the earth to settle close round 
the roots. Then trample the earth well 
round the roots, and do it thoroughly, so 
that the roots may be able to get a grip 
on food supply. In this way the trees get 
a good start. 
Another very important point is to have 
substantial stakes driven firmly into the 
ground before vou begin planting, so that 
your trees may be fastened to them with 
haybands, or in some way that will not 
bruise them. If not staked, the wind 
causes the trees to shake so much, even 
on a calm day, that the fibrous roots are 
