NYMPH^A 



NYMPH^A 



2309 



Tropical nympheas should not be planted until there is 

 evidence that summer has come. Hardy nympheas 

 may be planted in spring and summer (not in autumn) ; 

 late planting is better than deferring till next spring, as 

 the plants under such conditions will get established 

 before autumn closes, and the plants will start natu- 

 rally in spring, receiving no check. 



The above method of construction and cultivation is 

 to be commended, but other methods are adopted with a 

 fair degree of success, but with attendant evils which 

 are discouraging and at times very annoying and costly. 

 Tanks or artificial ponds may be constructed with 

 cement, digging the pond the desired size, having slop- 

 ing sides and afterward lining the same with concrete 

 and finishing with a facing of cement. However, such a 

 pond will not stand the effects of hard freezing weather 

 even if protected ; and what is worse, the new or freshly 

 removed soil will settle during the season, and the pond 

 is very likely to spring a leak. 



Another method of construction is to line the pond 

 with well-tamped clay, from 4 to 6 inches thick, after- 

 ward covering with 2 inches of sand. The labor for such 

 construction is expensive, however, the clay may not 

 be good, and the pond is likely to be muddy; it is now 

 better to build of cement. 



There are yet the advocates for tub-culture. Plants 

 will grow in tubs, and as soon as the plant-food is 

 exhausted, which is often at an early date, the plants 

 exist awhile and then draw out a miserable, exhausted 

 and discouraging career. Fountain basins are often 

 made the receptacles for nympheas. There they may 

 be grown if the right conditions are accorded them, but 

 there must not be a stream or spray of water running 

 all the time, as the water may be cold, chilling the 

 plants and checking their growth. 



Nympheas have insect pests like other cultivated 

 plants. Aphides are sometimes troublesome. The best 

 remedy is their natural enemy, the "lady-bugs" or 

 "lady-birds." A colony of these voracious insects makes 

 short work of the aphides, as do also the lace-winged 

 flies. An insect of recent acquaintance with nympheas 

 is a leaf-miner, the larva of a small fly, which cuts 

 channels through the leaf in all directions. Sometimes 

 only a few of these are in evidence; at other times the 

 leaves are fairly alive with them. The trouble is easily 

 detected. A simple remedy is kerosene emulsion, ap- 

 plied with a fine spray at evening after the flowers 

 are closed. Another troublesome insect is a leaf-cutter, 

 Hydrocampa obliteralis (or proprialis) . The larva cuts 

 out pieces of the leaf and hides between two pieces, 



which makes a 

 kind of tent. In 

 this tent the larva 

 moves about. At 

 first it moves 

 slowly, but as it 

 nears maturity the 

 larva becomes 

 ravenous and then 

 eats the surface of 

 the leaves near 

 the center, and 

 cuts off much 

 larger pieces of the 

 leaf. The best 

 remedy is a lamp trap for the mature insect. Frogs 

 and dragon-flies will ca'tch numbers of them. Arsenate 

 of lead spray will destroy the larvae. 



Nympheas are also subject to a fungous disease, a 

 leaf-spot which is easily discerned after a spell of warm, 

 humid weather. The leaves are scorched and crumpled, 

 the plant is denuded of its foliage; new leaves are weak 

 and smaller, and so too are the flowers, if indeed there 

 are any. This disease must be checked at once or the 

 plants will be severely set back, if not ruined. A rem- 

 edy is bordeaux mixture. Use a fine spray, and dilute 



2548. Stamens and vertical section of 

 ovary of Lotos group. 



the mixture to half the strength recommended for most 

 plants. It is best to spray twice with a weak solution 

 rather than to spray once with a too strong solution 

 and to damage the foliage. A light dusting on the 

 leaves with carbonate of copper will soon remedy the 

 trouble. 



In winter, tender nympheas should be kept in tanks 

 or tubs under glass. For hardy species, cover the tank 

 with boards and pile on dry leaves, coarse hay or other 

 material; or the roots may be taken out and buried in 

 a sheltered place. 



Water-lilies in California. (Edmund D. Sturtevant.) 



The culture of nympheas in California presents fewer 

 difficulties than in the eastern states. The varieties 

 which are hardy in the East flourish equally well and 

 bloom for a longer period. In frostless localities, espe- 

 cially where the lemon tree is free from injury, such 



2549. Transverse section of ovaries, a, syncarpous, b, apocarpous. 



tender varieties as Nymphxa devoniensis, N. dentata and 

 N. zanzibariensis may be left in the open pond during the 

 winter. In colder localities, the tubers should be re- 

 moved to warmer quarters in November to remain until 

 spring. If a greenhouse is not available, a small pool built 

 in such a manner that it can be covered with hotbed 

 sash will afford suitable protection. Very little room is 

 needed for these when they are dormant. The manner 

 of cultivating both the hardy and tender varieties is 

 much the same in California as in the eastern states. 

 For growing a small collection, a pool 8 or 10 feet 

 across may be made by excavating 2 or 3 feet, making 

 the walls of concrete, brick or stone, and covering the 

 bottom with concrete. The best quality of cement 

 should be used for all the work. An overflow pipe should 

 be put in and so arranged that the pool may be emptied 

 when occasion requires. Basins 20 or 30 feet in diame- 

 ter, or even larger than this, are desirable for growing a 

 good collection. In a small pool, wooden boxes 10 

 inches deep and 18 inches to 2 feet square may be used 

 to hold soil for the plants. In a large basin some of the 

 boxes may be 3 or 4 feet square. While most aquatics 

 will flower freely in contracted quarters, they will 

 attain greater perfection and produce much larger 

 flowers if they have abundance of room. 



Most of these plants are gross feeders, and it is well- 

 nigh impossible to make the soil too rich for them. It is 

 not necessary to go to a swamp or natural pond to 

 obtain what is suitable. Any soil that will grow good 

 vegetables will, if properly enriched, grow water-lilies. 

 A compost, consisting of two-thirds good soil and 

 one-third thoroughly decayed cow- or stable-manure, 

 with a sprinkling of bone-meal, is recommended. A 

 dark friable loam, which is intermediate between 

 "adobe" and sandy loam, is desirable for this purpose. 

 The tenderest varieties, such as N. devoniensis and N. 

 dentata, will flower for a long period without any for- 

 cing; but if started into growth in March in a greenhouse 

 or hotbed and planted in the pond in May, there will be 

 a great gain in the length of the flowering season. The 

 soil for the tender varieties should be renewed every 

 year, and that for the hardy ones every two years. 



If aphides or the pest known as the leaf-roller make 

 their appearance, the leaves, should be sprayed with 

 kerosene emulsion very much diluted, using one part 

 emulsion to fifteen of water. If large ponds or lakes with 



