168 RIVERSIDE LETTERS xxn 



leaves of the white water-lily are smaller 

 than those of the yellow, and have a purplish- 

 red hue. The common purple German iris 

 is repeatedly introduced as an aquatic plant, 

 growing in any sort of water at any sort of 

 depth. I have seen even the yellow water flag 

 figuring in a picture in very much deeper 

 water than I believe it possibly could grow, 

 represented, in fact, in the middle of a wide 

 pool or river amongst reeds, which mostly 

 indicate quite deep water ; the yellow flag, as 

 far as I know, only grows on the margins of 

 the water, and is seldom found more than half 

 submerged. In one picture I noticed roses, 

 poppies, and Roman hyacinths in bloom 

 together ; in many others the relative sizes and 

 proportions of the flowers introduced were quite 

 curiously erroneous. Frequent liberties are 

 taken with the colour of the foliage of laurels 

 and other shrubs when introduced in back- 

 grounds, a cold bluish green is used when it 

 should have been a deep rich olive, and vice 

 versa. 



