THE AQUARIUM, APRIL, 1897. 
105 

There is a manifest inclination towards 
centralizing on a few reliable varieties 
of fruits, flowers and vegetables, dis- 
carding the numerous inferior sorts. 
The watchword is for a plant that gives 
the greatest results with least outlay. 
Merit alone—not advertising or special 
hobbies—shall be the only criterion by 
which a plant is sustained. The peo- 
ple’s plant —the beau-ideal of horticul- 
ture — must have not only theoretical 
advertising points but a substantial com- 
bination of practical excellencies, as, 



gained universal admiration in growing, 
crowded:and overflowing nations, long, 
long before young America was born,and 
she, too, must step into ranks and fol- 
low the example of the more frugal 
Orient. 
The entrancing beauty, grace and 
fragrance of the water lily has been 
the watchword of the poets and artists 
throughout all time; but the powers of 
the pen and brush are inadequate to 
give it justice; and if the half were 
told it would be considered a fancy 
Gy Aa 
oi f 
ae 
\ \/ | , <j 
FI ; WA 
Y 4 | 4 
HV GY 
Tae MINE gel 
fi | i Nene 
a a | 
Tre it 
AY 
—— ee 
EvuROPEAN WATER Lity (Nymphea alba). 
for instance, in floriculture a plant 
must produce not only an abundance 
of beautiful flowers but have the quali- 
ties of ease of culture, economy of 
space, and usefulness. Such a com- 
bination is not possessed by every 
flower, in fact by very few ; but there 
are those which, when measured by 
this unbiased ordeal, will survive the 
test and be standards in a new horti- 
culture. One of these is the Water 
Lily. Ever since the dawn of creation 
it has proven its efficient worth and 

sketch or exaggeration. ‘‘The proof 
of the pudding,” however, ‘‘is in the 
eating,” and here the reality eclipses 
the most vivid conceptions of the im- 
agination. Search the poetry of the 
ages and nations and condense all the 
finest expressions into a descriptive 
rhapsody, then cast your eyes upon 
the reality—a water lily pond in all its 
glory and admit that language can never 
portray a true conception of its won- 
drous beauty. But its paramount beauty 
needs no praise; let us glance at other 
