How to obtain it. 95 



1 1 indeed this applies to most plants. The native species (N. alba) 



'does best in Britain, but some of the introduced kinds will do 



very well in some waters, and amongst these are the sweet-scented 



water lily (N. odorata) and the Cape water lily ( Aponogeton 



distachyon), which is a little gem. 



There is" a British plant which is very little known, being 

 only found in a few localities, and which is both very pretty and 

 useful in ponds. This is the fringed water lily (Villarsia 

 nymphceoides ), the leaves being small and varied in colour, from 

 green to reddish brown, and the flowers yellow, and about the 

 size of the common yellow cistus. It is very easily cultivated, 

 and spreads more rapidly than the white lily (N. alba). 



The yellow water lily (Nuphar lutea) is a freer growing plant 

 than N. alba, and the leaves are larger and the flowers not so 

 showy as those of its congener. It is, however, a very useful 

 plant, and is easily cultivated where there is a good bed of soil 

 into which it can strike its roots. 



Water lilies are easily planted in artificial ponds or lakes 

 whilst the water is rising, but it sometimes becomes needful to 

 introduce them into places which cannot be run dry. It is a very 

 good plan in such cases to plant them in very light wicker 

 baskets, and sink to the bottom of the lake. The basket will rot, 

 but the lily will grow, and soon takes hold of the bottom. The 

 simple tying of a stone to the roots is, however, sufficient to sink 

 them, and they may then be gently pressed into the soil at the 

 bottom by means of a pole, care being taken that the crown of the 

 plant is uppermost. 



There are some plants which nature seems to have specially 

 provided for the covering of pond or lake bottoms, and first 

 among these is the lakewcrt (Littorella lacustris). This little 

 plant will never become an annoyance anywhere. It only 

 averages about three inches in height, and is very rarely found to 

 exceed six inches indeed, it only attains to this height when 

 growing in peculiarly favourable places. I have found it 

 occasionally reaching the latter dimensions, but only in some 

 corner where the temperature and soil have both been specially 

 favourable, and such instances are unusual. It is one of the most 

 useful little plants that I know of in a lake or pond, and soon 



