122 WORCESTER COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. [1898. 



if the water is drawn off, with a covering of leaves ; in either 

 method, enough to exclude frost. The flowers last three days, 

 but unlike the Nymphtea or Water Lily, only partially close 

 at night. 



There are about twelve varieties of Lotus, but for amateur 

 use the Speciosum and Koseum are the best. The Speciosum 

 is the world famed Egyptian Lotus, also the Sacred Lotus of 

 the Hindoos, and it is nearly as hardy as the native Water Lily. 

 The flowers are rose-pink, of a brighter shade the first day. They 

 do not fully expand until the second day, when they are at their 

 best. This is a vigorous grower, and after being established, 

 the leaves rise out of the water from two to three feet and the 

 flowers stand up a little above the leaves. The Nelumbium 

 Eoseum does not grow as tall as the Speciosum ; the flowers are 

 of a deeper rose-pink, and more globular in form. Some culti- 

 vators have better success with this variety, but the former is 

 generally considered easier to grow. 



Among the other varieties is the Nelumbium Album Grandi- 

 florum, which has pure white flowers that tower well above the 

 stately foliage and contrast well with the bright-colored varie- 

 ties. Then there is the Nelumbium album striatum, having a 

 large flower with white petals tipped and striped rosy carmine, 

 flowering very freely under liberal culture. It has the fragrance 

 of a magnolia. The Nelumbium Shieoman is a recent introduc- 

 tion of Japanese origin, which claims to be a giant among 

 Nelumbiums, with leaves thirty inches in diameter and stems 

 five feet high. The flowers are white, double, and are produced 

 freely. The Nelumbium Luteum is a native yellow variety and 

 is common South and West. 



The Water Lilies are perhaps the leading aquatics for general 

 cultivators, and the sixty varieties which are grown are divided 

 into two classes — the Hardy and the Tender. With proper 

 treatment, the growth and blooming qualities of the Water 

 Lilies are phenomenal ; a small plant in the spring, from a three 

 or four inch pot, will sometimes attain a size of from four to six 

 feet in diameter, and will j)roduce a large number of flowers. 

 Instances are known where in the height of the season ten to 



