CULTURE OF WATER LILIES, ETC. 143 



The latter are pure white, the petals being very broad 

 and much more waxy than those of X. odorata. It be- 

 gins to flower earlier than that species, and continues in 

 bloom for a much longer time. It is a great favorite. 



Kymphcea Alba v. Rosea {X. alba v. sj)h(erocarpa rosea). 

 — A variety which was first discovered in Sweden, and 

 has received great praise in Europe. It is like N. alba, 

 except that the flowers are deep pink, shaded to lighter 

 pink at the edge. Still rare and very costly. 



Xymj^hcea Flava (the Yellow Water Lily). — A charm- 

 ing addition to any collection, having leaves variegated 

 with brown, and flowers nearly as large as those of N. 

 odorata. They are of a bright golden yellow color, and 

 dehciously scented, something like Locust-tree blossoms, 

 but more delicate. Perfectly hardy at the Korth, but 

 should have a warm position in summer. 



Kymphcea Pygmcea (the Dwarf Chinese Water Lily). 

 A little gem, producing leaves from two to three inches 

 across, and delicionsly scented white flowers no larger 

 than a silver half dollar, which open at noon and close at 

 sunset. It has the additional merit of being hardy. 



Nelumbium Sjjcciosuni (Egyptian Lotus). — This was 

 cultivated in Egypt in most ancient times, Avhere its seed 

 was known as the "Sacred Bean." It is the "Sacred Lo- 

 tus " of India and China, and is also cultivated in Japan. 

 This wonderful plant, though coming from such tropical 

 and semi-tropical regions, has proved to be entirely hardy 

 in this country, enduring any degree of cold short of act- 

 ual freezing. I have for many winters kept it in water, 

 upon the surface of which ice formed from four to eight 

 inches thick. Xo aquatic plants have a more tropical as- 

 pect than the Xelumbium. It has been naturalized in one 

 corner of a mill-pond at Bordentown, N. J., where "^.he 

 mud is very rich, and where, in summer, could have been 

 seen, among abundance of noble leaves from one to two 



