1870.] OUVIRANDRA FENESTRALIS. 361 



the fresh soil, and sprinkle sand over them before filling up with 

 soil. This prevents it from adhering to the roots. Keep the 

 collar of the plants up to the level of the rim of the pot, and 

 press the whole of the soil pretty firmly about it. Next place 

 the pot on the floor, and water through a fine rose till the whole of 

 the soil is thoroughly soaked, and every particle of soil washed off the 

 leaves. Allow the plants to stand a few minutes till the water gets 

 drained from them, when they may be gently placed in the aquarium. 

 If the plants are small, place them within 5 or 6 inches of the surface 

 by standing them on inverted pots, and as the leaves increase in 

 length put them a couple of inches deeper. The best rule I can lay 

 down for this is, have your plants so placed that the longest leaves 

 just touch the surface of the water. I have no doubt some will dis- 

 pute this, for I have seen them recommended to be planted so that 

 they may have eighteen inches of water above the soil in which they grow. 

 I have seen plants under this treatment, but never in such a healthy 

 state as when grown nearer the surface. To try it, I once placed a 

 young plant 15 inches below the surface, and the first leaf that was 

 produced was \\ inch longer ; but I found that it was the stalk that 

 had gained so much, while the blade of the leaf was not in the least 

 longer, but a quarter of an inch narrower. Now, the aim of cultivators 

 should be to produce long broad leaves on short stout stalks. I have 

 never yet seen those desirable qualities in plants grown in deep water. 

 In the ' Treasure of Botany ' it is stated that " the leaves grow in 

 radiating clusters round the rhjzome, and float just beneath the sur- 

 face of the water, presenting a flat side to the light," and " it grows 

 on the margins of running streams in shallow water." 



"Fusileer" (who, I presume, has been at Madagascar to see) stated 

 in the 'Field': "We never observed it in deep water, but in the 

 shallows and scours of clear gravelly or pebbly streams. The leaves 

 floated on the surface of the water, and the flowers, which were of a 

 bluish lilac colour, grow on stems rising about a foot or 18 inches 

 above the surface." From these statements I learn that the Ouvir- 

 andra grows in shallow water, in clear running streams. Now, it is 

 easy to grow it near the surface of the water, but how are we to have 

 a running stream at a temperature of 75° in our stoves 1 The greatest 

 difficulty lies in keeping the water as warm, as sweet, and as clear as 

 possible, and so nearly approaching the character of that in its native 

 streams, where 



" Soaring high, the mighty sun 



Makes Britons seek the shades, 

 And wish for Britain's shores again, 



Her mountains, streams, and glades." 



