CANNAS AND THEIR CULTIVATION

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 968, 10 May 1930, Page 32

CANNAS AND THEIR CULTIVATION

Perhaps the most useful and beautiful of all sub-tropical plants are cannas, the Celtic name for cane or reed. These are commonly called Indian shot, because of thg round black hard seed which has been known to be used in the place of ordinary shot. When well ripened the seed is as hard as iron. Of late years there has been some great improvements in the cultivation and raising of new varieties; and one has only to visit some of our leading parks to see the beaut}’ of these plants. Cannas may be planted out in beds or grown in clumps in any warm position in the garden. They are free growers and bloomers on almost any soil, thus their increasing popularity. Stable manure dug in the bed before planting and plenty of water during growing period is all that these plants require. They should be planted about 18in in rows 2ft apart, and will commence flowering early in November, continuing until the early frosts appear. Cannas should be lifted in the winter and stored in boxes the same as dahlias. They make strong growth during summer and so the roots or rhizomes should be divided every season and the surplus burnt. Cannas grown from seed -are sometimes troublesome. The best way is to sow the seed as soon as it is collected and the seed that does not appear to be fully ripe is the quickest to germinate. If the seed is fully ripe and hard it should be soaked in water until it swells and a slight cut made to allow the shoot to push its way through the hard surface of the shell. The bulbs can be soaked over night in cold water and planted in firm soil six inches apart and not more than two inches deep. Do not forget to water well as they love the moisture and a cool situation. PRUNING FRUIT TREES At this time of the year many young fruit trees are planted in various parts of the country. Trees are just like children and their character has to be formed and moulded just the same as my child. When a baby show’s signs of bad habits we check it, and so when a tree has a tendency to make bad or unsightly growth, we must cut it out, or in other words, prune the bad habit back. Young trees should be encouraged to produce a strong healthy growth. The object of the first two or three years’ pruning is to aim at securing a good shape as a foundation on which to build the tree. Alw’ays cut to the outer bud and be careful to make the severance at the correct point and use only sharpened secateurs. It stands to reason that good fruit in quantity can only be produced from healthy, well-cared-for trees. Hence the importance of building up a shapely, sturdy and well-balanced structure which will afterward be capable of carrying heavy crops. Pruning induces new wood growth on which the fruit spurs are formed. This operation also cuts out all dead wood and •straggling growths, allowing the sunlight to penetrate through the inner branches. Pruning directs the sap energy of the tree into channels where it is made most use of. The second and third years’ -pruning is always more severe thau compared with that after they commence to bear. Fruits are produced on different types of woods. The plum, nectarine and peach produce their fruit from auxiliary buds. The plum also forms fruit spurs on two-year-old wood. Apples and pears represent what is known as the terminal bud of spur bearing types. It is always wise to prevent fruit trees from bearing too young as early-bear-iug weakens the tree, checks the growth, and so makes it more subject to disease.