WATER FLOWERS 245 



as soon as they begin growing after planting 

 out, in May, that nothing else stands a show in 

 competition. 



Interesting these plants are without doubt, 

 although the true lotus of Egypt — the sacred 

 lily of the Nile — was really a blue-flowered 

 nymphsea — Nymphoea coerulea — which seems 

 unquestionably to have been the plant Isis is 

 supposed to have pointed out to the people as 

 fit for food. Its petals have been found in 

 mummy cases while its leaves and flowers are 

 shown repeatedly in ornament. Even the in- 

 terest in nelumbiums from the legendary point 

 of view abates therefore, in the light of under- 

 standing; and there seems to be not a great 

 deal to '•ecommend them to the garden of to- 

 day, since '^hey are such strident specimens. 



In addition to plants of an aquatic character, 

 all pools should have subaquatics in them to 

 aerate the water. The best of these for small 

 gardens are Washington grass — Cabomba viridi- 

 folia — or eel grass — Vallisneria spiralis. One 

 plant of either to every twelve to fifteen square 

 feet of surface on a pool two feet deep will 

 be sufficient. And of course with these as 

 with all other aquatic growth, thinning out 

 must be constantly resorted to if the plants 

 grow unduly. 



