IN FLORIDA 169 



ornament. There are other fine species which would probably 

 do well here. 



Aquatics. Under this general head it may be well to say a few 

 words about such as do well in Florida. Cyperus alterni- 

 folius, Umbrella plant, has been found wild in Dade County and 

 will do well in low ground anywhere if the land crabs do not get 

 too friendly. C. papyrus does well in fresh water swamps but 

 has failed with me where there was salt in the soil. Limnobium 

 spongia is a pretty native plant; Limnocharis humboldti, Water 

 Poppy, is a handsome plant with yellow, poppy-like flowers. 

 The Nuphars and Nymphaeas are among our most desirable 

 aquatic ornaments and the species of the latter now offered in 

 the catalogues are superb. Nelumbium is another magnificent 

 genus suitable for cultivation in the state. There are many 

 other desirable aquatics which would probably grow here and it 

 is likely that all or nearly all would go through the winters of the 

 northern part of the state. I see no reason why the great 

 Victorias should not succeed here. In some cases aquatics spread 

 until if they are not cleared out they will take full possession and 

 destroy the effect they were intended to produce. 



Bambusa, Bamboo. It is hard to say whether these should 

 be called herbs or shrubs. They are among the princes of the 

 vegetable kingdom and take their place with the palms as glori- 

 ously decorative objects. They are the embodiment of grace and 

 elegance; constantly swaying their feathery foliage in the wind, 

 they are often so ethereal that they scarcely seem to be of the 

 earth. I never tire of watching the bamboos for they seem not 

 only to be endowed with life, but to be animate and to possess 

 souls. It would be impossible here to attempt to give any list 

 of the species that have been grown in the state. Professor 

 Nehrling has a large collection of them at Gotha where a con- 

 siderable number of species do well. One of the finest and hardi- 

 est is Dendro calamus latifolius, which grows in great tufts, send- 

 ing up its large stems to a height of seventy feet almost as straight 

 as arrows, just tipping out a little at the top like the wonderful 

 foliage of the Cohune Palm. These stems are clothed with deep 

 green, broad leaves nearly a foot long and a couple of inches wide. 

 At one time when I visited Professor Nehrling there grew a 



