Culture and Uses. 237 



bloom ; the first two will do quite well. But the best thing is a brick and 

 cement pool 60 cm. deep and of as large a size as one can get room for ; 

 after one season's trial the tank will seem too small, at any rate. A single 

 course of brick will be sufficient for a small tank, but a double course is 

 better. Mr. Arnold, of Sharon Hill, gets beautiful results with a pool 

 where the earth was simply scooped out and an even coat of cement laid 

 directly on the ground. In any case it is best to protect the edges of the 

 pond in winter by a coat of litter ; if a weak construction is used this is 

 absolutely necessary, as a leak caused by frost would let the water out 

 and the resting rhizomes would be fatally frozen. A natural pond, if not 

 frequented by muskrats, is excellent for hardy varieties, but it would be 

 rare to find one north of Washington warm enough for the tender kinds. 

 JV. alba candidissima, odorata gigantea, and colossea will do well in water as 

 deep as one or two meters. Select a place for the tank where it will get 

 full sunlight all day. Waterlilies are usually but little shaded in their 

 native haunts, and the tropical species need all the light possible when 

 in our northern climes. It is desirable to have the water-level constant, 

 and to change the water just enough to keep it fresh. 



For planting the rhizomes it is only necessary with the stronger 

 hardy varieties in natural waters to tie a stone close to the rhizome and 

 throw it in where the depth will be suitable. If one would be more care- 

 ful, the rhizomes may be planted in weak splint baskets of earth and put 

 in place. By the time the plant needs more room the basket will be fall- 

 ing to pieces, or at least, will be easily broken, and the roots will have full 

 liberty. Such planting may be done at almost any time of year, but prefer- 

 ably in fall or spring. Sometimes on account of weakness, sometimes 

 because of excessive dominance, it is desirable to keep the plants within 

 prescribed bounds ; in that case permanent pots, boxes, or tubs must be 

 provided. This is necessary in artificial ponds. Nothing less than a half- 

 barrel is really worth while. A tub 100 to 130 cm. in diameter and 45 to 

 50 cm. deep gives the best results for all of the larger species, but I have 

 seen N. elegans and gigantea blooming in tubs only 40 cm. across, and 

 N. zanzibariensis will produce pretty little flowers in a "six-inch" pot! 

 Square board boxes of any size may be made to suit circumstances. 



The character of the soil for these pots or tubs is of prime impor- 

 tance ; it must be very rich. Various prescriptions for its preparation 

 have been given. R. Miiller (1885) recommends a mixture of three parts 

 soil, two parts compost, and two parts peat for hardy Nymphaeas. We find 

 nothing equal to well-rotted cow manure for fertilizer, and Mr. Tricker's 



