250 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JouRNAL. [1 Sep, 1897. 
It is surprising how few people grow Cannas, and how very few, our 
nurserymen inform me, willbuy them. Scarcely any plant will give a better 
return, and the kinder you are to them the more responsive they are in 
gratitude. No flower suits so well the lazy gardener, or those wanting a display 
without trouble. Neglect reduces the quantity and quality of bloom, but 
Cannas will not be denied existence in spite of its : 
A. loose rich soil is the most suitable; and given this, with abundant 
moisture, of which they are greedy, and plenty of manure, of which they are 
almost more greedy, the results will open the eyes of those who despise Cannas 
as being only Indian Shot. 
For outdoor decoration they are most valuable, but as cut flowers they do 
not stand well. In water the Gladiolus will open to the last bloom on the 
spike, but the Canna stands still, and the individual flower, already open, soon 
begins to droop. 
The plants are most effective in clumps or groups, or massed in a back 
border. ‘They prove most useful to fill up out-of-the-way. spots and awkward. 
corners, and will bloom away in Queensland, either cared for or neglected, for 
nine or ten months in the year. ‘They like full exposure to the sun. 
The stools at the end of the season should be broken up, and rhizomes 
with bold strong buds replanted in afresh spot, or in the same place, after being 
well manured. If left alone, the stools crowd themselves out to starvation. 
In flower, all shades of colour are obtainable, from pale-lemon to dark- 
crimson; and in foliage, from blue-green to bronze and purple. Many of the 
red, orange, and crimson yarieties are edged with yellow and gold; and the 
yellows spotted and blotched with all shades from brown to dark-crimson. No 
real white so far exists, though some people speak of the Hedychium conorarium, 
or Indian garland flower, as the White Canna. It is somewhat of a family 
connection, and efforts have been to hybridise between them, but so far 
without and most probably will be without success. 
I rather wonder that nothing has been achieved in this direction with the 
species Lridiflora lilitflora. It has three white upper staminodia. No doubt 
it has been experimented with, and some day a white garden variety will be 
developed (vide Crozy’s note above). Liliiflora was introduced by Von 
Warscewicz from Veragua about 1855, is similar to zridiflora, but the flowers 
are white and flagrant. 
SELECTIONS. 
It is difficult, or impossible, to draw up a list to comprise those only of 
greatest merit. New varieties are being constantly brought out, of which we 
can have no real knowledge. Many of good repute in European and other 
catalogues are not included in those of colonial nurserymen. Several of these 
furnish long lists, but they seem to be deficient of many of the well-known 
best varieties. I can only furnish a selection from my own knowledge, and it 
ean therefore be only comparatively reliable. 
No collection of any pretension can be without some of the new so-called 
orchid flowering varieties, raised by Danman and Sprenger. These are the result 
of crossing the species flaccida with Madame Crozy and other garden varieties. 
Italia and Austria are now obtainable in Brisbane. They are both splendid 
varieties, much broader in petal than any of the old gladiolus-flowered kinds. 
The texture of the flower, from the flaccida side, is thin and soft, and they 
therefore burn and wither somewhat when exposed to our hot summer sun. 
The foliage is green and massive. 
Austria is clear canary in colour, plentifully sprinkled with small red 
spots. It is strong in root growth, and increases very fast; hence it is quoted, 
no doubt, in many lists ata lower price than its fellow. 
Italia is golden yellow, with bright searlet blotch and throat ; in fact, the 
blotch covers the greater part of the flower. The spike seems more massive 
than that of Austria, and it frequently throws out small side branch spikes 
after the main spike is exhausted. 
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