SMALL PONDS AND POOLS 113 



on the actual pond edge. The two look very well 

 together, and all the better with a good stretch of the 

 dark Chair-Rush behind them. One point of botani- 

 cal interest in the Water Buttercup is its two distinct 

 sets of leaves ; those under water divided into many 

 hair-like segments, while those that float are flatter 

 and wider. It has been noticed that when the plant 

 grows in swiftly running water, which would tend to 

 submerge the upper leaves, they disappear, and the 

 finely divided ones only remain. 



The charming Villarsia nymphceoides, with fringed 

 yellow bloom, though not a common plant, may be 

 found here and there on the Thames, sometimes in 

 large quantities. It grows in water three to four feet 

 deep or even more ; its small, thick, rounded leaves 

 looking like those of a tiny Water-Lily. Each neat 

 little plant is anchored by a strong round flexible 

 stem to the root in the mud. It is well worthy of a 

 place in the water-garden. I used to get the plants 

 up by dragging the bottom with a long-handled rake, 

 and transferred them to the pond of more than one 

 friend. If a place is chosen a little shallower than 

 their original home and a stone tied to each root, 

 they will soon establish themselves and make a good 

 patch the next year. It likes still but not stagnant 

 water. 



The Arrow-Head (Sagittaria) is another handsome 

 native thing that likes a place near the pond or river 

 edge. There are other and still better species, one 

 American and one Chinese, and a good double- 

 flowered variety. 



H 



