1 
CANNAS. 
Chief among the fine ‘bloomers during 
this month and later are Cannas. The 
fashion that set in for these handsome 
foliaged and rich flowering plants seems to 
have been rather short lived. Just why 
this is so cannot very well be explained. 
Nothing in luxuriance of foliage can ex- 
cel them, and the flowers are entirely dis- 
tinct in form and charmingly colored. 
One secret of maintaining their beauty 
for large bedding is not to allow them 
to grow too big. They look too unwieldy 
unless alongside a large pond. In the 
average garden bed they should not be 
encouraged to grow more than two or 
three feet, when they look handsome 
enough, and the flowering is better. It is 
only during recent years that they have 
been made to flower at all. The plant is 
remarkable in this respect, inasmuch as the. 
development of the flowers has not affected 
the tropical appearance and beauty of the 
foliage. They can be planted this month 
in a richly manured bed, and plentifully 
watered. The name, Indian Shot, refers 
to the seed, which is very hard, and the 
natives used them in warfare. 
PORTULACAS. 
Now, we wonder if it is. possible to ad- 
“vance our readers a further step in the 
cultivation of Portulacas. If you have 
none in your garden, shy in a few seeds 
now. They will most likely grow, and if 
they do, and you nurse them along a. little 
with watering occasionally, some hot sum- 
mer morning, when taking a walk round 
the garden not feeling too fresh after the 
heat, you will be cheered to gladness by 
the lovely bright colors of those Portulacas. 
‘We-know of no flower that opens its heart 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
so wide to the rays of heat. The double 
ones are like miniature double Roses, and 
the colors are so puxe and good. 
We are trying hard to persuade gar- 
deners, the amateur cottager, to persevere 
in the cultivation of Phloxes. In favored 
positions of shelter it is not too late now 
to set out vigorous plants. They look so 
cheerful. Their tinting of colors and 
their bright, happy-looking eyes never 
fail to please and cheer up a disconsolate 
gardener. They make very pretty table 
and inside decorations by a set. of artistic 
fingers. For effective show in the border 
they should be massed, when they will 
grow to about six inches and form a beau- 
tiful setting of color. But for finer 
sprays of bloom they require room for 
each plant, say, 6 to 10 inches apart. 
VERBENAS. 
Verbenas are old-time flowers that we 
have been accustomed to see carefully 
cherished by grandmothers, but now they 
are, like many other good things, out of 
fashion. But, walking round an old-time 
and old-fashioned wild garden the other 
Dec 1 1903 
day where many good things grew accord- 
ing to their own sweet will, we suddenly 
happened upon some lovely Foxhunters. 
Their bright white eyes and clear red 
petals were so pretty that we lingered 
long with the wish that they would come 
into fashion again. They may be planted 
out now from layers, and will bloom very 
shortly. 
EVERLASTINGS. 
Do not forget the Everlastings (Heli- 
chrysum) for your summer borders. They 
grow well, and if picked just before being. 
full blown, will last until next season in 
your vases. If tired of looking at them, 
refresh their faded beauty with a little 
light foliage of Fern or Asparagus. 
GODETIAS. 
Tf seeds of Godetias have not been sown, 
procure a few plants, and they will be 
found a nice variety in the garden. Al- 
though somewhat characterless, they are 
profuse bloomers, and color is essential to 
a well-constituted garden. 
NEMOPHILAS AND LOBELIAS. 
The charming little Nemophilas must 
by no means be overlooked. Most deli- 
cate and innocent-looking little beauties. 
Also the Lobelias for edgings. One can 
never regret seeing the rich blue of these 
little gems. Even the wild ones in our 
Mount Lofty hills are worth the trouble 
of bringing home for cultivation. <A 
sandy soil suits them best. 
-If any gardener has overlooked Del- 
phiniums and Salpiglossis and Balsams 
and Amaranths for his summer garden he 
has been culpably negligent of some of the 
best of the beauties. 
As a parting word for the month’s 
operations, do not forget the Daffodil 
bulbs. Now is the time to select them, 
and the sheltered spot, well enriched and 
cultured, where you intend to see them 
in all their charm. If you intend to 
specialise keep them altogether, each row _ 
properly labelled. Have your beds nar- 
row so that you can get all around them 
- without any trouble. 
Answers to Correspondents 
WISTARIA. 
What is meant by summer pruning of 
the Wistaria is this: During the summer, 
while the vine is in active growth, when- 
ever a shoot attains the length of twelve 
or fourteen inches, it is pinched back to 
within two eyes of the previous growth. 
This pinching back has a tendency to 
make the buds become flower-bearing in- 
stead of wood-producing. 
Wuite Burrerrty (Pieris teutonia).—This 
butterfly is unusually prevalent in the hills near 
Adslaide. The wings are about two and a half 
inches across, white with black edge, and yellow 
tches on underside. It is especially injurious 
to the beautiful Caper plant, upon which it has 
already laid thousands of eggs. ‘These. if left: 
undestroyed, will soon hatch into swarms of 
small caterpillars, to tho ultimate ruin of the 
plant. ; 
