TROPICAL AQUARIUM FISHES 199 



WATER LILY CULTURE 



All fish pools or large tanks standing in the sun should have water 

 lilies growing in them. They are of easy culture and not only give pro- 

 tection to the fish but add greatly to appearances. Small or large varities 

 may be had, according to the needs of the space. Water lilies are divided 

 into the tender and hardy varieties. The tenders are more free-blooming 

 and the day-blooming tenders are the most fragrant, as well as presenting 

 the greatest range of color. They usually open in the fore part of the 

 morning and close in mid afternoon. The night bloomers open in the 

 evening and close about nine in the morning. They are not fragrant nor 

 as elegant as the day-bloomers, but they are called the business man's 

 water lily because he can see them in bloom in the evening and in the 

 morning. 



Water lilies need extremely rich soil. A mixture of half clay and 

 half cow manure suits them very well. An inch top layer of sand will 

 prevent any of this soil from getting into the water. The crown of the 

 plant should not be covered and ought to be about 12 to 14 inches below 

 surface of the water. They nee<i an abundance of sunlight. 



Before freezing weather sets in the tender plants should be taken 

 up. Close to the main root will be found a few tubers about the size 

 of shellbarks. These are the starts for next season's plants. They are to 

 be broken off and kept in cool water or moist sand. In April they may 

 be laid in shallow, warm water until sprouted, then placed in submerged 

 pots and later permanently planted out in June. 



Hardy water lily roots only need be kept moist and from actual 

 freezing. In a pond they may be left out. In early Spring they form a 

 number of new crowns. The parent root should be cut up into pieces, 

 allowing a crown to each piece. Plant only one crown to a pot. Let 

 all water lily pots be as large as space will permit. Most tenders will 

 grow and bloom in a 7-inch bulb pan in an ordinary tub, but they are 

 dwarfed from lack of space. They will do better in a box about a foot 

 deep by thirty inches square, or in a hole 18 inches wide and 20 inches 

 deep, as shown in Figure 163. Tropical water lilies have a surprising 

 degree of intelligence in adapting themselves to the size of the pool they 

 are in. The ordinary hardy water lilies if given as much space as they 

 can use will have a surface diameter of about 4 feet. The usual tropicals 

 vary from 10 to 15 feet, but will do well in pools of 6-foot diameter. 



In the maze of offerings and alluring descriptions of water lilies, 

 the beginner is at a loss to know what to select. We present a list of 

 the most satisfactory varieties in each class. Most of them sell at mod- 

 erate prices and can be had of either of the two leading dealers, Dreer's 

 at Riverton, N. J., or Wm. Tricker, Arlington, N. J. 



