AQUARIUM 



60 



AQUARIUM 



tank-system of heating by hot-water offers a very 

 superior mode of keeping the water at a fitting tempera- 

 ture. The leaden cistern in which the plants are sub- 

 merged may rest readily upon the slates forming the 

 cover of the tank. The handsomest form for this 

 purpose would be a circular building, devoted entirely to 

 the aquatics, because they do not thrive satisfactorily in 

 parts or corners of a house in which other plants are 

 tultivated. The size will depend upon the will or the 

 means of the owner. If the cultivation of the imperial 

 Victoria regia is intended, it ought not to be less than 

 26 feet diameter. This will allow a tank of 20 feet 

 diameter, and a walk 3 feet wide round it. To make it 

 hold water, the sides should be made of thick slates, 

 fitted so as to be water-tight ; or it may be built with 

 bricks set in cement, and lined with the same. It should 

 be at least 3 feet deep, for the Victoria loves deep 

 water. The water should be heated with 4|-inch hot- 

 water pipes, coiled three times round the tank, and two 

 pipes should be carried round the house, near to the 

 outer wall, to give heat to the air of the house. The roof 

 should be formed with wrought iron bars, and should 

 be flat, as far as possible, to allow the rain-water to run 

 off freely. The Victoria should be planted on a mound 

 of strong earth, the base of which should be, at the 

 least, 5 feet in diameter, and the top 2 feet, and it 

 should be brought up within a foot of the surface of 

 the water. This should have a motion given to it by 

 means of a vertical wheel, with narrow boards affixed 

 to it at right angles, at 6 or 8 inches apart. This vertical 

 wheel should dip into the water a few inches, and should 

 play upon an axis, being set in motion by a small stream 

 of water falling constantly upon the boards. This wheel 

 will give a gentle motion to the whole surface of the 

 water, which motion will be a faint imitation of a stream, 

 and will be very beneficial to the plants. The heat of 

 the water should be never lower than 70. Air will be 

 necessary in the hot days of summer, and may be given 

 by means of shutters in the walls, 8 or 9 feet apart, and 

 a circular opening in the roof, at the centre, 2 feet or 

 3 feet in diameter. This part may be easily contrived, 

 by any mechanic, to lift up and fall down by a simple 

 machinery. This will cause a circulation of air, necessary 

 in all habitations of plants. If the Victoria is not in- 

 tended to be grown, the house need not be more than 

 half the size. 



The Victoria house at Chatsworth is a noble structure 

 for the purpose. It is, however, the opposite to our 

 beau ideal of an aquarium, being square, with a circular 

 tank in the centre, and the corners filled up with eight 

 small tanks, in which are grown one plant of a kind of 

 other fine, stove aquatics. A walk runs round the central 

 tank, and that walk is entered by a short one from each 

 side of the square. A walk, too, is formed into each 

 corner ; and a walk runs close along the front, thus 

 forming the small tanks alluded to above. The diameter 

 of the central tank is 33 feet, which will give us some 

 idea of this truly noble aquarium ; but very few culti- 

 vators will choose to go to the expense of erecting such 

 a house. 



The following are aquatic stove plants : 

 Aponogeton angustifolium. 

 distachyum. 

 ,, monostachyon. 



Cyperus alternifolius. 



Papyrus. 

 Damasonium alismoides. 

 Eichornia speciosa. 

 Euryale ferox. 

 Hydrocleis Commersonii. 

 Limnanthemum indicum. 

 Limnophyton obtusifolium. 

 Monochoria hastaefolia. 

 Nelumbium speciosum. 

 Nymphaea Lotus. 



pubescens. 



,, rubra. 



stellata. 



,, caerulea. 



,, ,, zanzibarensis. 



tetragona. 



Philydrum lanuginosum. 

 Pistia Stratiotes. 

 Pontederia cordata. 



Sagittaria lancifolia. 

 Sauromatum guttatum. 

 Thalia dealbata. 

 Victoria regia. 

 Villarsia ovata. 



Propagation and Culture. Being all herbaceous plants, 

 they are to be propagated as these generally are. Some 

 are raised from seeds, which, in general, should be sown 

 as soon as ripe, and the pots plunged in shallow water. 

 When the plants come up, they may be transplanted into 

 other pots, and shifted as they advance in growth, till 

 in a pot of sufficient size to admit their flowering, which 

 will generally take place the same season. Instead of 

 being kept in pots, the plants may be inserted in a bed 

 of earth, on the bottom of the aquarium. Keep the 

 water warm, say from 70 to 75 in summer, and leave 

 them nearly dry in winter. Nelu'mbium specio'sum re- 

 quires a water heat of 84. 



Cyperus Papyrus, Nelumbium, Nymphaea, Hydrocleis, 

 Hydrocharis, Sagittaria, and Pontederia, will furnish 

 variety enough. 



Aquarium for Hardy Aquatics. For this choose the 

 lowest part of your garden ; dig out the soil or clay to 

 a moderate depth ; it may either be of a regular form, 

 as a circle or oval, or irregular, which latter we prefer, 

 with a bay in one part, a jutting promontory in another, 

 a shelving shore here, and a steep bank, covered with 

 shrubs, at another point. However small the piece of 

 water may be, a little good taste and judicious manage- 

 ment will have the best effect. Having formed the shape 

 by digging out the soil to the required depth, from 2 

 to 3 feet, the next point is to make it hold water. There 

 is nothing better than clay for this purpose : it will 

 require preparing to make it retentive of water. Take 

 a small portion, say a barrow-load, and chop it into 

 small pieces with a sharp spade. If it be dry, add a 

 little water to it ; then, with a wooden hammer having a 

 long handle, beat it well till every part is of a uniform 

 consistency, having the appearance of clay dough. 

 Spread this on the bottom of the pond, about 6 inches 

 thick. Proceed with mixing up and beating barrow-load 

 after barrow-load till the bottom is entirely covered ; 

 then either put on a pair of wooden-soled shoes, or go 

 on it with naked feet ; the last is the best way. Tread 

 the prepared clay firmly, closely, and evenly down. Do 

 this well and properly, and the bottom will never leak. 

 As soon as that part is finished, mix and beat more clay 

 for the sides. With the spade, as soon as it or a portion 

 of it is ready, dab it against the sloping bank, com- 

 mencing at and joining it to the clay bottom. As soon 

 as this is done, beat it with the wooden hammer firmly 

 against the bank. If you have plenty of clay, 8 inches 

 will not be too thick for the sides. Remember, the more 

 firmly the clay is beaten to the sides, the better it will 

 hold water. The clay must be quite pure that is, have 

 no stones or other matter left amongst it. If there are 

 any such left, they will serve as conduits for the water 

 to escape by, and all your labour will be in vain. Pro- 

 ceed with adding layers of clay upward, until you reach 

 the level you intend the water to be. Carry the clay- 

 puddle 2 or 3 inches higher, level the natural soil down to 

 it, and let this soil be 2 inches or more higher than the 

 clay. This will prevent it cracking away from the bank. 

 Your aquarium is now ready for the water. Previously 

 to rilling it, however, cover the bottom, upon the clay, 

 with a coating of loam, 4 inches thick. This is intended 

 to encourage the water-plants to root in, and to cause 

 them to grow finely. If you can procure a sufficient 

 quantity of rough stones or pebbles, place them against 

 the banks. These will prevent the water from washing 

 away the clay-puddle. All being now ready, let in the 

 water. 



Planting. As soon as the aquarium is full of water 

 you may plant the aquatics. The best mode is to have 

 some wicker baskets of various sizes, to suit the size of 

 each plant. Fill one with soil, inserting the plant in- 

 tended for it at the same time ; cover the top of the soil 

 with some twisted hay-bands, coiling them round the 

 plant ; then lace them firmly down with some strong 

 three-cord twine, passing it under the rim of the wicker 

 basket, so as to keep in it the soil and the plant. Throw 

 either a plank or a long ladder across the water. On this 

 you can walk, carrying the plant with you. Drop it into 

 the place you intend it for, and so treat all the other 



