1G4 



THE AQUARIUM, APRIL, 1895. 



will hold a pint or more of water, and 

 when overloaded tlie stems deflect, 

 tnrning the water out, and at once re- 

 sume their normal position. During a 

 shower they may be heard pouring out 

 their great bowls of water in every di- 

 rection. The foliage of the Nympha^as 

 is more flimsy, the surface appearing 

 clammy or oily, and water poured on 

 the leaves trickles off reluctantly. The 

 root formations are equally varied. The 

 smooth tuber of the Lotus, the nut-like 

 offshoots of Devoniensis, and the thick, 

 creeping rhizomes of Candidissima are 

 quite unlike, and afford interesting 

 study. But while the foliage and roots 

 show such a diversity of forms, the flow- 

 ers of all are AvonderfuUy alike in their 

 general outline. The petals of all are 

 keel or canoe- shaped, which enables 

 them to ride the waves in a most novel 

 and suggestive manner. The stamens 

 are numerous, filiform, and quiver 

 above the pistil with every motion of 

 the flower. The petals of the Lotus 

 are deciduous ; those of all other spe- 

 cies are persistent. The whole family 

 of day bloomers open early in the 

 morning and close in the afternoon. 

 The night bloomers open about 8 

 o'clock in the evening and close about 

 10 o'clock in the morning. The flow- 

 ers of the Pontederias and Limnocharis 

 last but one day ; those of the Victorias 

 two days, and change from pure white 

 to dark red. The Lotus oj^ens four 

 days, and fades from red or yellow to 

 almost Avhite. The Nympha?as last 

 from three to six days, according to 

 the condition of the weather. The 

 seeds of the Lotus ripen far above the 

 Avater, in a torus resembling an inverted 

 cone. The Nymphaeas close their petals 

 firmly and drop beneath the water to 

 ripen their seed, while JV. svpet'ba and 

 some few others curiously draw their 



seeds pods into the mud by a spiral 

 coiling of the flower stem. 



Now, let us add the living reality ta 

 the scene. Swarms of bees, butterflies 

 and humming birds, regaling them- 

 selves on the exuding nectar ; birds 

 bathing in the water and sipping from 

 the dainty lakelets on the foliage ; th& 

 huge green frog basking his uncouth 

 and bloated ugliness on the floating 

 leaves— and the picture is still incom- 

 plete ! For, true to its placid beauty, 

 the water intensifies the scene by por- 

 traying all these by inverted images, as 

 if their antipodes had pierced the earth 

 and offered their counterpart to glorify 

 the American scene. Then we have it 

 complete — the panorama that seizes 

 alike the wonderment of the old fogy, 

 who never sees the finest flowers and 

 shrubbery of the yard and lawn, the 

 admiration and praise of every lover of 

 flowers, and makes a lasting impression 

 upon the mind of every visitor and 

 passer-by. 



CULTURAL NOTES. 



The cultivation of all Water Lilies is 

 nearly identical and very simi)le. The 

 best soil for growing them is rich, heavy 

 loam. Rich garden soil or mud from 

 the bed of a pond or stream supplies 

 their wants exactly. 



To grow in tubs. — Fill the tubs two- 

 thirds full of the above-named soil. 

 Plant the roots by laying them in Jiori- 

 zontally near the edge, Avith the bud 

 pointing toAvards the center of the tub, 

 and barely cover them. Noav fill the 

 tub Avith Avater, and keep full ; in Avin- 

 ter keep from freezing. 



To grow in tanks or cement basins is 

 almost the same as for tubs. If pre- 

 ferred, the Lilies can be jilanted in 

 boxes and sunk in the water Avithout 



