30 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



germination are sweet and nutritious. It gives a peculiar aspect to 

 lakes that is both rare and pleasant. The adornment of our artificial 

 lakes should receive some attention. When we visit some of our natu- 

 ral lakes we find them almost filled and surrounded with strange and 

 beautiful forms of vegetable life, which accompaniments render these 

 places a great deal more attractive. The very wildness which these 

 curious children of nature are capable of superadding to a pure and 

 placid lake surrounded by echoing shores and reverberating hills, min- 

 gle with the charms and pleasures of such places and sweeten and 

 hallow such impressions of the beautiful and picturesque upon those 

 seeking the innocent enjoyments of life. We should add these native 

 ornaments and rare water plants to our convenient lakes and make 

 them the most delightful of the home scenes and associations. 



8. Pancratium rotatum. — In the evening and morning, and when the 

 clouds are over the sun, this plant unfolds its snow-white imperial flow- 

 ers, all arrayed in royal robes, and bearing a white, delicate crown 

 about two feet above the water or marsh. It is well styled the " wild 

 crown imperial." 



9. Saururus cernuus. — This is rather a delicate plant among the aqua- 

 tic plants. It waves a small white plume, which bends gracefully to 

 the side opposite to the wind, and presents quite a military appear- 

 ance among the lake plants for a little fellow. 



10. Sagittaria hastata. — The foliage of this plant has a very rich ap- 

 pearance. The leaves, as the name indicates, are in the form of arrow 

 or spear heads, but on a large scale, and are quite peculiar in their 

 surface markings. Grows two feet high. 



11. Sarracenia purpurea, or Flava. — The leaves of this plant are 

 pitcher shaped and are usually half filled with water. The flower is a 

 large nodding, something between the form of a side-saddle and a 

 Dutch pillion ; an indescribable curiosity to the uninitiated. 



12. Iris lacustris. — This has sword-shape and grass-like leaves, and 

 large showy flowers, of all the rainbow colors — hence the name. 



13. Pontedcria cordata. — This is a strong water plant, and grows in 

 shallow water. Through its collection of heart-shaped leaves it throws 

 up occasionally a stem or scape, terminated by a beautiful spike of vio- 

 let-blue flowers. The heart-shaped leaves and pretty flowers do not 

 stand far above the water's surface. 



14. Acorus calamus, Calamus Flag. — Its creeping roots, which are 

 pungent and aromatic, send up sword-like leaves and stems. A valu- 

 able addition to lake plants on account of its usefulness as a domestic 

 medicine, and a pleasant aromatic carminative. 



I am perfectly familiar with all the above plants and have trims 

 planted them to my own fish lakes, and know well that they are useful. 



Anybody can make a pond, but it may not be durable in its planning 

 or its structure or in the exit of its superfluous water. The earth should 

 be well packed while it is in its naturally moist condition. If too dry 



