CULTURE OF WATER LILIES, ETC. 125 



New York, where tlie Water Lilies and other aquatics 

 growing in the ponds there have been such a source of 

 interest and pleasure to the tens of thousands of visi- 

 tors.— P. IL] 



SOIL FOR GROWING AQUATIC PLANTS. 



The best soil for growing all kinds of aquatic plants in 

 gardens, we have found to be good, rich loam, and the 

 best decayed stable or cow manure, in equal quantities. 

 Leaf mold or fine black peat can no doubt also be used 

 to advantage. Rich mud from the bed of a pond or 

 sluffofish stream will answer in place of the loam, but I 

 do not consider it essential. The compost should be 

 well mixed, placed in the tank, and covered with about 

 an inch of good, clean sand, to keep the manure from 

 rising ; then let in the water several days before putting 

 in the plants. 



WATER LILIES IN TUBS AND CEMENT BASINS. 



A good degree of success may be attained by planting 

 them in large tubs or half-barrels in the open air, either 

 on the surface or sunk in the ground. They should be 

 placed where they will receive the full benefit of the sun 

 for at least the greater portion of the day. If for the 

 whole day, so much the better. Fill them about half 

 full of the compost recommended for all aquatics. The 

 large growing kinds would do better in half -hogsheads 

 or in tierces sawed in two. 



A very effective and inexpensive plan is to arrange the 

 tubs in connection with a rockery, a large tub in the 

 center being placed somewhat higher than the rest, and 

 connected by pieces of rubber hose, so that the overflow 

 from the large tub runs from one to the other, changing 

 the water in all. Oil barrels cut in two make excellent tubs. 



The space around the tubs is filled with good rich com- 



