238 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



Osmunda regalis and Lasfrea filix-mas cristata are fine subjects 

 to treat in this way, but it must be under glass, shaded, and with a 

 free circuhition of air. I prefer to have a glazed pan (such as a 

 bread-pan, for instance) for such plants, and some of my specimens 

 are now gigantic, being in 15 and 20-inch pots. I am convinced 

 that hundreds of plants might be grown during summer in this way, 

 and would attain to a grandeur of which we know nothing at pre- 

 sent — unless, indeed, we have explored the warm wet hollows of the 

 west of England. What a strange thing it is, that we plant all sorts 

 of things in the same soil, and leave them to flourish or perish under 

 uniform influences. Nature does not do so ; she takes care to 

 provide rivulets, ponds, and marshes for many of her choicest gems ; 

 and we must do the same. Yes, sir, I hope you will again send us a 

 thunderbolt on the value of water, and tell our amateurs that they 

 are like green-fly in this respect — that they are afraid of the life- 

 promoting fluid. The last, sir, is a sort of Homeric utterance, and 

 I subscribe myself, E-eticence. 



EXOTIC AQUATICS, WITH PACTS IN EELATION TO 

 THEIR CULTIVATION. 



Br ME. J. F. M'eLEOY, STAMFORD HILL. 



|HEE.E was a period in the history of gardening when it 

 was not uncommon to find in almost every house that 

 was devoted to exotics a cistern, or tank, in which 

 aquatic plants were grown. I would not presume to 

 assert that they had the best attention bestowed on their 

 cultivation ; sometimes you would observe the very opposite, allowed 

 as they were often to become a confused or entangled mass, and 

 then the knife would be used, only with the object of reducing the 

 quantity, so as to effect some arrangement, but with no ultimate 

 desire of attaining perfection as regards bloom, etc. If a little more 

 than ordinary care were given to their cultivation, it would be found 

 that there are among them some most beautiful objects. Indeed, 

 there is far more interest and beauty connected with them than is 

 generally admitted or understood by gardeners. We have ferns 

 innumerable, that are only admired for their elegant fronds and 

 graceful outlines. The same merit may be found in a few of our 

 ■exotic aquatics. We would cite as a noble example the Papyrus, or 

 paper plant, from which the Egyptians in the earlier ages obtained 

 their paper. When grown in a hot temperature, it will attain the 

 height of seven to ten feet, producing a splendid spray-like form. 

 It is of very easy culture if you have a stove. I used to grow it 

 in a strong loamy soil, in a large pot, as it likes plenty of pot-room. 

 The plant in its pot was plunged in the cistern, and then it would 

 grow quick and healthy. Why should not a number of others be 

 treated in a similar manner ? Of the dwarfer, or trailing, kinds, we 

 have the handsome Nelumbiums and Nympheas, in numerous 



