FLOWERING OF THE VICTORIA REGIA. 



are fully ripe. The second class compose the biennials, or such as live two years; these 

 do not flower until the second season, when they die as the annuals; in this case the root 

 serves as a reservoir for nourishing the assimilated matter, such as starch, vegetable jelly 

 and sugar, (that is, its cells become gorged with these articles) — also, such roots receive 

 the general appellation of fleshy, but have received different names according to whatever 

 shape the}^ assume. For instance, if the enlargement takes place in the trunk or tap-root, 

 it becomes conical, as in the carrot. When it regularly tapers from the crown to the 

 apex, it becomes /wsi/orm, or spindle-shaped. But if it leaves the middle the largest, in 

 which instance it tapers from both ends, it becomes spheriform, or turnep- shaped. If 

 some of the branches are thickened, instead of the main root, they are said to be cluster- 

 ed. Such plants do consume much of the supply of sap in the production of leaves and 

 branches, but they form a large tuft of leaves just at the surface of the ground, which 

 supply the roots with nearly the whole summer's supply of nourishment. In the follow- 

 ing spring, when reaction is commenced, it shoots up a large thrifty stem, with leaves and 

 flowers, which is wholly supported by the nourishment of the previous year; and the 

 plant, in the mean time, neglecting to form roots anew, gradually perishes from the 

 immense absorption of the external part, (or stem.) This class includes a very large 

 proportion of our most useful vegetables.* Augpstus A. Fahnestock. 



FIRST FLOWERING OF THE VICTORIA REGIA IN THE U. S. 



BY CALEB COPE, ESQ., PHILADELPHIA 



The great event in our floriculture world just now, is the blooming of the Victoria — 

 that queen of water lilies — at the country residence of the President of the Pennsj'lvania 

 Horticultural Society. Mr. Cope's zeal and spirit in the introduction and cultivation of 

 this noble plant, have been most satisfactorily rewarded by a larger growth, both of flower 

 and leaf, than the most skilful culture in Europe has yet attained. We give his letter, 

 and the interesting account of Mr. Ellis, below. Ed. 



A. J. Downing, Esq — Dear Sir: I am sorry that you were not here to witness the ex- 

 citement which prevailed on the 21st ult., when the Victoria bloomed for the first time in 

 this country, and when my grounds seemed to be in complete possession of the public. 

 Since that event we have had a weekly contribution of a flower, the fourth one maturing 

 last evening. The interest felt by the public appears not only unabated, but on the in- 

 crease, so that every show day we have crowds of visitors from all parts of the country. 



I hope before long to send you the drawing of my Victoria house, which you request. 

 In the mean time I send you a report from my gardener, which will be interesting to those 

 who wish to look into the detail of the culture and treatment of the plant. If j^ou deem 

 any portion of it worthy of insertion in the Horticulturist, you can make use of it. 



The committee on plants and flowers of the Horticultural Society, were present on the 

 second flower blooming. They measured the petals, which they found seven inches in 

 length, and the crown or disk of the flower three inches, thus making the diameter of the 

 whole seventeen inches. This is three inches larger than any flower produced in England. 

 The leaves are also six inches larger than any grown there. The natural conditions of the 

 plant in our country are, undoubtedl}'', more favorable than they can possibly be in Eng- 

 land. There the water is at 85° generally, and the atmosphere at 75°; here it is just the 

 reverse, which is undoubtedly more like its native country. I am satisfied that we 



* Gray's Botanical Text Book. 



