HORTICULTURE 



from my subject but my reason for doing so is that to 

 this style of decoration the new Japanese iris lends 

 itself in a rejuarkable degree; these with the English 

 and Spanish varieties are airily poised upon their slen- 

 der stems, and when each flower is duly kept separate 

 from its neighbor the effect is most desirable and beau- 

 tiful. The English iris comes near to the Spanish in 

 form and beauty and flowers late in the season. The 

 chrysanthemum and iris are the regal flowers of Japan 

 as their paintings exemplify. They evidently, in Japan, 

 know well how to cultivate them to perfection, and to 

 render them cfl:ective by artistic arrangement when used 

 for decorative purposes. 



All the iris tribe require rich, mellow soil, but are 

 tenacious of fresh manure. The species with rhizomes, 

 especially, require good feeding and rather dry sods; the 

 bulbous species take less nourishment but require mois- 

 ture to their roots but suffer in bleak, cold situations. 

 To the florist the irises in their narrow groups present 

 excellent opportunities to the grower and floral dec- 

 orator. To the plant and flower breeder they offer a 

 wide field of operation. If the rich colored and orchid- 

 like flowers of the K^mpferi were crossed with the 

 Spanish, English or Gorman some now and startling 

 results might be produced. 



Quebec, Canada. 



Water-lilies 



The frontispiece of Hokticdltdre October 7, 1905, 

 is- a handsome illustration of Victoria Trickeri as 

 grown in the open air in the latitude of Philadelphia. 

 It is a fitting memento of a very successful season in 

 aquaticulture, demonstrating again the practical use of 

 tropical water-lilies in the eastern latitude. It is not 

 wonderful to report such success from St. Louis, but 

 here such an achievement is noteworthy. Truly the 

 seasons have very much to do with it, but this has not 

 been an exceptional hot season, rather would we say the 

 season was normal. 



Conditions as to culture, soil, planting, etc., have been 

 given from time to time but with all the literature 

 nothing is more forceful than the accomplished fact 

 which such illustration truthfully depicts. The 

 nymphasas are not clearly defined in the illustration but 

 they have been much in evidence, especially at Newport 

 and Boston where the horticultural societies were proud 

 to do them honor. 



Amongst new nymphseas mention may again be made 

 of N. dentata magnifica. There are several forms of 

 this grand white night-flowering nymphasa but N. d. 

 magnifica outstrips them all. In the species the sepals 

 and outer petals droop especially after a shower and the 

 flower has a thin or ragged appearance, but with N. d. 

 magnifica the flower is more cup-shaped, the sepals and 

 petals do not droop, but maintain a bold and rigid form 

 not unlike N. Sturtevantii. N. Bissetii is a greater 

 acquisition than N. d. magnifica and surpasses N. 

 O'Marana and N. Sturtevantii. In color it is more 

 like N. Sturtevantii but there is more tone and depth 

 of color and the plant is very free flowering. The large 

 massive flowers are of perfect form and stand well above 

 the foliage. 



These grand water-lilies to be grown successfully 

 must have liberal culture and ample space for leafage. 



All night-bloomiug water lilies require similar treat- 

 ment to obtain first-rate flowers sucli as have been seen 

 at exhibitions the past season. The plants require to 

 be started ahead of the day-flowering nymphaas and 

 strong plants must be secured by planting on time. 



Novelties are apparently scarce in this line but 

 amongst night-blooming nymphaeas there are but two or 

 three colors and to make a trio of distinct and superb 

 varieties I would add N. George Huster, a rich growing 

 crimson. 



Day-flowering tender nymphseas present a wider field 

 with an extended range of color and very pleasing and 

 attractive flowers. These are very popular flowers in 

 the United States, but are comparatively little known 

 in England. It is singular to note that such a variety 

 as N. Zanzibariensis rosea should be considered as a 

 new water-lily and given a first-class certificate by the 

 Eoyal Horticultural Society as recently as last August. 

 Undoubtedly it was well grown and reflects credit on 

 Mr. Dye, gardener to Lord Eothschild, but this same 

 nymphsea was equally as well grown in the United States 

 15 years ago. A much more desirable nympheea of sim- 

 ilar color is N. Mrs. C. Ward, a hybrid of N. gracilis and 

 N. Zan. rosea 



Nymphffia Pennsylvania of recent introduction is a 

 most beautiful blue water lily, and has many good 

 points ; it is the largest flower of any of the day-flowering 

 tender nymphseas, as large as many of the night- 

 blooming varieties. The color also is the richest, but 

 not so deep as N. Zanzibariensis, which by the way is 

 one of its parents and like this species the flowers are 

 late in the morning before opening, but although late in 

 opening, the flowers remain open later in the day, but 

 in a collection that opens early in the day a laggard is 

 not always excused. 



N. pulcherrima is probably the best of all blue 

 nymphseas, all things considered, and should be included 

 in all collections. It has made a great impression 

 amongst flowers in England and have received many 

 commendations from the Koyal Horticultural Society. 

 There are a number of blue water lilies, in fact this sec- 

 tion or group is largely represented by blues; only two 

 pinks and one white. There are species of various tints 

 of little value commercially but would prove of immense 

 value to the hybridist. We need an improved white 

 very much more than a white night-blooming variety, 

 also various pinks to crimson, also a yellow. Here is a 

 rich field for investigation and research and much in 

 store for lovers of water-lilies, especially the hybridist. 



While, on the whole, the season has been most satis- 

 factory there are those who from lack of experience and 

 congenial conditions have failed in the attempt to pro- 

 duce anything like satisfactory results. 



A frequent source of failure is the attempt to have a 

 water display and flowering plants at one and the same 

 time. Water-lilies look well in fountain basins, but if 

 the fountains must be kept running the lilies will suffer 

 and especially so if the water is cold and spring water. 

 The latter running into a pond or pool will lower the 

 temperature so that even hardy nymphseas will not grow. 

 Notice our native water-lily haunts, they are mostly in 

 ponds of still water and exposed to the full sunshine. 

 To the unsuccessful I would say, try again. 



