1898.] ESSAYS. 125 



free flowering qualities all other varieties, with flowers ten 

 inches in diameter of a beautiful light blue, with deep yellow 

 stamens tipped with blue, and the sepals irregularly striped 

 dark red. The flowers remain open more hours during the day 

 than any other variety. The leaves are large. It is a hybrid 

 of American origin. 



The Nympha3a Dentata is the largest and best of the night 

 l)looming varieties, with long pointed buds and flowers of a pure 

 paper white thrown well above the water. It blooms freely 

 through the season and is a native of Sierra Leone. 



The Nymphrea Devoniensis is a hybrid that was raised by the 

 Duke of Devonshire. It is a free bloomer. Its flowers are of 

 a brilliant rosy red and it makes one of the most gorgeous varie- 

 ties in cultivation. They are very beautiful by artificial light, 

 and are of large size. 



The Nymph^ea Columbiana is an introduction of American 

 origin, having bright red flowers that deepen in color each 

 succeeding day. This is an unusual feature in water lilies, as 

 most of the colored sorts have a tendency to grow lighter. 



There are many other aquatics that are worthy of a place in 

 the water garden either on account of their graceful foliage or 

 attractive flowers. They should be used, however, in limited 

 quantities, giving the lilies the prominent places. 



I shall by no means attempt to give you a complete list, but 

 will confine myself to some of the most desirable. Among the 

 tender plants are the Cyperus Alternifolius, or umbrella grass, 

 which is desirable for edges and is also suitable for pot culture ; 

 the Cyperus Papyrus, the ancient Egyptian paper plant, which 

 grows in water or marshy ground and is very valuable in the 

 water garden. It has triangular stalks of from four to five feet 

 in height, supporting at the top a cluster of narrow leaves. It is 

 very efiective near the edge in shallow water. It will also 

 flourish and grow in soil with no more water than cannas 

 require to make them do well. Then there is the Eichornia 

 Azurea, or Blue Water Hyacinth, a native of Brazil, and a 

 rapid grower, producing large spikes of lavender blue flowers 

 with a dark blue centre. It branches freely and creeps about 

 10 



