76 THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 
Aquatic Plants—continued. 
the planting, and no fear need be apprehended that the 
plants to be re-introduced will come to any harm providing 
care is taken in removing them, as practically they will 
be at rest and without much foliage. It will also be 
obvious that the more expeditiously the work can be 
accomplished, consistently with proper care, the more 
satisfactory will be the results. With few exceptions the 
Nympheas will then be quite devoid of foliage, and 
especial care should be taken when emptying the tubs of 
soil so as not to overlook any of the tubers. Some sorts 
inerease very slowly, but the Totus section are quite the 
reverse, being vigorous growers, and proportionately pro- 
ductive of tubers. Should any of these by chance 
get into a tub of another sort of weaker habit they 
will soon establish themselves and take entire possession. 
The tubers, when removed from the tubs, should be placed 
in pots of damp moss, and each sort labelled to prevent 
any confusion arising when replanting is in progress. 
Tubs or large pans filled with water should be conveniently. 
to hand for the accommodation of the floating plants, and 
wet moss will be found very useful for covering the roots 
of others when removed from the tank. 
The tubers of Water Lilies during their resting period 
‘are best left in the tubs in which they have been growing ; 
but if it isnecessary to remove them they can be safely kept 
in wet soil or sandin a warm house; and those sorts that do 
not die down entirely should be placed in pots of soil, sub- 
merged in pans of water, and placed in a similar position. 
Aquatics may be raisedfrom seeds at any time during the 
growing season, but the best results are obtained if the 
sowing is done early in the spring, excepting in the case of 
the Royal Water Lily (Victoria regia) and Euryale ferow. 
Seedling tropical Aquatics may be raised in an ordinary 
plant-stove if the temperature of the water can be main- 
tained at about 75deg. Fahr. A simple and easy method 
to adopt is to sow the seeds in small pots or pans, about 
two-thirds filled with fine loamy soil, which should be 
firmly pressed down, and the seeds lightly covered. They 
should then receive a thorough soaking of water, and be 
allowed to stand for a short time before being submerged 
in jars or vessels of water, allowing about 2in. depth of 
water to cover the tops of the pots. Of course, tanks or 
cisterns, in which the water is of a suitable temperature, 
may be used; but if the water is constantly disturbed by 
some of it being taken out, it will have an injurious effect 
on seedling plants, and there will be the risk of seeds being 
* washed out of the pots. Care should also be taken not 
to entirely fill the pots with soil, or the action of the water 
will cause it to swell and float over the sides, as stated 
above, which would probably result in the loss of the 
seeds. The seeds of many of the Nymphzas germinate 
quickly, and if sown early in the spring and the seedlings 
are pricked off as soon as they are large enough to handle, 
afterwards transferred singly into pots filled with good, rich 
soil, and the depth of water above their crowns increased as 
the plants develop, they should form flowering plants before 
the season is over. This remark particularly applies to the 
stellata group, the seeds of which germinate in about a 
fortnight, and, as the roots of the majority of them increase 
very slowly, this is the quickest and best method of propa- 
gation. The seeds of the Lotus section require about 
double the time to germinate, and, unless it is with a view 
to raising new sorts, they are scarcely worth the trouble, as 
they all, as previously stated, increase rapidly by means of 
tubers. Nelumbiums are easily raised from seeds, the 
germination of which can be greatly facilitated by carefully 
rubbing one side of the hard outer covering of the seeds 
with a file.till’ thin, after which process they will germinate 
in a few days: otherwise they will require several weeks. 
Nelumbiums will also germinate in water placed in a warm 
house, but this is not a better method than the preceding. 
The seeds retain their vitality for a great length of time, 
owing to the extreme hardness of the outer covering. 
Aquatic Plants—continued. 
If it is desired to grow a plant of the Royal Water 
Lily, Victoria regia (Fig. 73), with other Aquatics in a tank, 
as previously described, this will necessarily require the 
central part of the tank. In this case a pit should be 
formed in the centre about 18in. in depth and large enough 
to contain from three to four cart-loads of soil; otherwise 
there would not be a sufficient depth of water above the 
crown of the plant. Wherea tank is constructed especially 
for the cultivation of this Giant Lily of the Amazon—and 
it well merits such accommodation—it may be treated as 
an annual, and will then only occupy the tank from the 
spring till the antumn. The place may then be cleared out 
and utilised for the reception of large specimen plants, 
either arranged in the tank or on a temporarily-constructed 
staging of planks, supported at the sides and in the centre 
by trestles or brick columns. It will also serve to accom- 
modate tender plants removed from their summer quarters 
out of doors, and thus be rendered attractive throughout 
the winter months. 
To cultivate the Victoria satisfactorily it requires very 
liberal treatment at the roots, a large tank in which to 
grow, and the temperature of the water to be kept at from 
80deg. to 85deg. during the summer months. The seeds, 
which usually take from eighteen to twenty days to 
germinate, should be sown about the end of January in a 
pan of soil, and submerged in water of the temperature 
already given. As soon as the seedlings are large enough 
to handle, they should be transferred singly into small 
pots, and when necessary shifted into larger ones contain- 
ing good, rich soil. The pots should be so submerged that 
the crowns of the plants are only a few inches below the 
surface of the water, increasing the depth as the plants get 
stronger. 
The number of plants available for growing either in 
the water or at the sides of it is very great. All, there- 
fore, that is possible is to refer to what may be termed a 
select few in each section—Hardy and Tender. 
First, as to those of the Hardy section, with floating and 
submerged leaves, of which the beautiful white Water 
Lilies of our rivers are such familar examples. Here we 
have Alisma Plantago, Aponogeton distachyon, Hottonia 
palustris, Hydrocharis Morsus-rane, Hydrocleys Com- 
mersoni, Limnanthemum peltatum, Nuphar advena, 
N. lutea, N. pumila, Nymphza alba, N. a. candidissima, 
N. odorata, N. pygmzxa, and N. tuberosa. 
Then besides the species and varieties of Nymphzas 
are a host of hybrids, for which we are largely indebted to 
M. Robert Latour Marliac, and of which the following are 
the best: 
ANDREANA, flowers brick-red, shaded with yellow, cup-shaped, and 
borne on long stems bearing the flowers 6in. above the water, 
stamens deep orange; leaves spotted with red-brown on 
the back and chestnut on the stalks. AURORA, flowers 
opening clear yellow, changing in a few days to brilliant red; 
leaves deep brown, streaked with a brighter shade at the back ; 
a beautiful variety. CAROLINIANA NIVEA, flowers waxy white, 
of excellent form and great size, stamens deep yellow; ex- 
quisitely perfumed. CAROLINIANA PERFECTA, flowers salmon-red, 
very double, petals obtuse and regular, stamens deep clear 
yellow. ELLISIANA, flowers bright clear red, stamens a dee 
orange red; a charming variety. FULVA, flowers bright red, 
shaded with purplish-red, which becomes intensified with the age 
of the flower; petals incurved, stamens orange-red. GLORIOSA, 
flowers bright red, shaded with pale rose at the points of the 
petals, stamens rich red, very large and double, usually 7in. 
across, and sweetly scented; a superb variety. LAYDEKERI 
FULGENS, flowers rich amaranth, stamens deep red ; a splendid 
variety that will become popular. LAYDEKERI LILACEA, flowers 
soft lilac, shaded with carmine at the points of the pele 
stamens deep apricot; a very pretty variety, throwing its flowers 
well above the water. LAYDEKERI PURPURATA, flowers soft pink, 
deepening to crimson at the centre, stamens apricot. LAYDEKERI 
ROSEA, flowers soft pink, deepening in colour with age. LUCIDA, 
flowers bright pink, deepening towards the centre, very large and 
handsome, stamens rich orange; leaves large and marked with 
brown. MARLIACEA ALBIDA, flowers pure white, stamens soft 
yellow, large, 8in. across; very robust. MARLIACEA CARNEA, 
flowers soft pink, stamens soft yellow, sweetly scented, very 
large; a vigorous growing variety. MARLIACEA CHROMATELLA, 
flowers canary-yellow, stamens a, little paler, very large ; leaves 
