THIRD WEEK IN APRIL 



water gardens having kept the water perfectly pure for some 

 years without any need of changing it, the water which is 

 lost in evaporation in summer being, however, returned to 

 the tubs when necessary through a rosed can. 



This simple remedy completely obviates the necessity of 

 an elaborate system of waterworks to change the water con- 

 tinuously, which used to be considered necessary for a 

 water garden ; and perfectly still water suits the nymphasas 

 far better than any current in it, which tends to bare their 

 roots. Newts can be found in all still pools, and are not 

 difficult to secure by offering a few pence to a country lad 

 to bring them. 



If well planted in spring (the end of April or the month 

 of May being the best time for the purpose) nymphasas will 

 need but little attention ; they usually begin to bloom in 

 June, and continue to produce a succession of their lovely 

 flowers until the cold of autumn checks them ; but the 

 nymphaeas originally obtained by M. Marliac, through the 

 hybridisation of hardy yellow and white water-lilies from 

 North America and Siberia with the richly coloured 

 nymphaeas of the tropics, have fortunately proved 

 thoroughly hardy, although they follow their exotic 

 parent in brilliant tints. Never before have we been able 

 to possess hardy water-lilies in crimson, orange, and many 

 shades of delicate pink and yellow flowers, too, which are 

 set off by richly tinted foliage on the surface of the water. 



During the second season after planting nymphaeas it is 

 not often necessary to raise and divide the roots ; but a 

 layer of fresh loam mixed with charcoal should be added 

 over them. If the water should contain the germs of con- 

 fervas (the thick green mass of water-weed which sometimes 

 appears in it), it will be desirable to add a few water snails 

 to the contents of each tub, as these creatures clear off the 

 green slime, but do not attack the water-lilies. They 

 propagate themselves, however, so quickly that it is often 

 necessary to thin their numbers by removing most of 

 them. 



Amongst the most beautiful of the newer water-lilies we 



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