THE NKLUMIJIUM. 



In Knirl.'inil, LornoN savs tliat the I^ebiDihiiim speciosum lias not been vciy siiccessi- 

 fiillv cultivated. The attempt has been made by means of large pots with rich mold 

 at the l»ottom, filled with water ; and by planting the seeds in the tank of a hot-house. 

 In both cases he says that it requires a strons^ and constariit stove-heat to mjike it flower 

 to i^orfection. It must be remembered, however, that Loudon Iras reference to the 

 sjm-iosum, whk-h. is exclusively, or generally, found within the tropics; whereas, our 

 Nelumbium is found as high north as latitude 4"J°, and hence may be cultivated with- 

 out any artificial heat. 



The Nelumbium may be propagated by dividing the rhi/nnia, or ]in>strato trunk; 

 but the better way is to plant the seeds, first cutting through the hard portion of the 

 ;apsule, to admit the moisture. Mr. Kext (Jlort. Trans.) nays that the seeds of this 

 plant have been known to vegetate after having been kept for forty years, and that it 

 flowers the firet year. That it will grow when forty years old, is not incredible, when 

 it is known that grains of wheat found in Eg}'ptian nivmimy cases, supposed to be tliree 

 thousand veai-s old, have been known to vegetate freely; and that the Nelumbium will 

 produce flowers the first year, is not singular, when it is known that the Victoria rer/ia 

 flowere in five months, though a much larger plant. 



The seed of the Nelumbium lutciim resembles in size, color, and form, a small acorn. 

 This is to any inquirer a curiosity, and to the scientific botanist an anomaly. "When 

 opened carefully, so as not to destroy the parts, it will be found to 

 contain, in a hollow sack, a complete embryo of the future plant — 

 the root, stem, leaf, and seed vessel, all being conspicuous. The 

 annexed cut, one-third larger than the natural size, presents the 

 form and appearance of this sack and plant, only that the embryo 

 is deep green. This color is itself a striking peculiarity, being, it 

 is believed, the only known instance Avhere the green color has 

 been assumed without the aid of light. 



To the vegetable physiologist, the seeds of this genus have long been a puzzle, so 

 that the most learned botanical doctors have not been able, without controversy, to 

 decide where it belongs, cither in the natural or artificial classification. Indeed, for the 

 last half century botanical philosophers have been disputing about this plant, and 

 scores of pages, with illustrations, have been written to prove on the one side that this 

 genus is monocotyledonous — that is, having but one cotyledon, or seed-lobe, like 

 Indian corn and the Palms ; and on the other, with equal forcey it has been contended 

 that this genus is dicotyledonous — having two cotyledons, like the Bean, Acorn, and 

 Chestnut. With the view of forming an experimental opinion on this vexed question, 

 I placed some seeds of the Nelumbium in water, kept tepid for several days, first divi- 

 ding the hard crust of the capsule, so as to admit the fluid to the second coat In two 

 or three days the seed separated into two parts, through what appeared, when magni- 

 fied, to be the natural fissure, thus forming two seed-lobes of a dicotyledonous oa}(Sule. 

 This fact, with the reticulated structure of the leaf, leaves no doubt that this is an 

 exogenous plant. 



