3d March, A. D. 1898. 



ESSAY 



BY 



EDWAED W. BREED, Clinton, Mass. 

 Theme: — Water Gardening. 



The subject of Water Gardening that we are to consider this 

 afternoon is a most ancient as well as neglected branch of hor- 

 ticulture. It has a history contemporary with ancient Egypt. 

 The sacred Lotus of the ancients seemed to occupy the fore- 

 most place in aquatics ; for sculptured representations of it 

 abound in Egyptian temples, proving the veneration paid to it. 

 The worship was by no means confined to the ancient Egyp- 

 tians ; for in India, Tibet, China, and Japan the plant was con- 

 sidered sacred and is still employed in regular ceremonies. 

 Homer and other poets have sung its praises. Herodotus, 

 Strabo, and ancient writers have referred to it. In literature, 

 architecture, and culture it held a prominent position. Egyp- 

 tian monuments bear representations of the Lotus and Nymphsea. 

 The sacred Lotus is not now found in Egypt ; but two varieties 

 of Nymphseas or Water Lilies, Nymphsea Lotus called the White 

 Lotus, and Nymphsea Lotus ca^rulea, the blue lotus, abound. 

 Drops of water on the leaves of the ancient or sacred lotus, 

 Nelumbium Speciosum, look like molten silver and quickly roll 

 off. The Hindoos have a proverb founded on this peculiarity 

 of the leaves, to the effect that the good and virtuous man is 

 not enslaved by passion nor polluted by vice ; for though he may 

 be immersed in the waters of temptation, yet, like a lotus leaf, 

 he will rise uninjured by them. The spiral fibres which abound 

 in the leaf-stalks are carefully extracted and used as wicks to 



