WATER GARDENS BY VARIOUS WATER GARDENERS. 263 



kinds beginning to give some indications of their true character, 

 whilst the flowering period was well prolonged and a considerable 

 number of flowers produced. Seeing that more room was essential 

 for their perfect development, I decided to provide for this by care- 

 fully lifting the plants last spring when the first indications of growth 

 were visible. This operation was performed about two years from 

 the time of first planting them, but so well had they rooted in the case 

 of the strong growing kinds, that it took three men to lift them with 

 digging forks, several of the roots being as large as one's fingers and 

 of considerable length. These came up with good balls, and were 

 immediately transferred to large circular baskets which had been half- 

 filled with good loam and leaf-soil, a few handfuls of bone-meal being 

 allotted to each basket according to its size. When the roots were 

 carefully spread out more soil was added to fill each basket, which 

 was at once sunk again into the water, but at a greater distance apart 

 than in the first instance. This time the strongest were placed at 

 some 10 feet or so from each other, but I can see already, after only 

 one more year's growth that they will require more room even than 

 this. These plants were sunk in about 18 inches of water this time in 

 order to be more in accord with their growth. The more moderate 

 growers were arranged in front of these and in about 12 inches of 

 water. No apparent check ensued even at the first, for they grew 

 away most vigorously, and in most cases have flowered as profusely. 

 By the autumn the strongest clumps were fully 6 feet across, and 

 this season I shall not be surprised if they touch each other. The 

 lake has a fair quantity of mud in it, about 6 inches perhaps where 

 the plants are at present, the bottom being puddled with clay. The 

 supply of water is from a spring which continuously discharges into 

 the lake. 



These fine water plants as grown and bloomed here are singularly 

 beautiful and effective ; either one or another is always producing 

 the distinct and pleasing flowers. The flowers remain open, too, for 

 a prolonged. period each day, either one or another being in good 

 condition from 9 a.m. to nearly dusk when the weather is bright 

 On more than one occasion I have also noted how beautiful they 

 have been during showery weather ; the water then being clear added 

 to their beauty, the flowers glistening and sparkling like diamonds 

 when under a brilliant light. When seen in this state, scarcely any- 

 thing in the way of flowers could be more beautiful. J AS. HUDSON, 

 Gunnersbury House, Acton. 



ARUM LILIES AS AQUATICS IN BRITAIN. Whether or not the 

 common Arum (Richarclia aethiopica) is naturally an aquatic it may be 

 taken as proved that it is at least amphibious, as a friend of mine has 

 for years past grown Arum Lilies in a fresh water lake by the banks 



