•21 IS 



XKLIMBO 



NELUiMBO 



2456. Metal fountain in Nelumbo fonn. 



ami iioar tl\e (iivat Lakes, .V. Iiitai is fovind in ahun- 

 iliUiiv, Init it is si'ariv in till' MiiiilK' Atlantic ami caslciii 

 statos. \Mioii woU ostablishoil it is a nitmnitiii'iit plant, 

 and when in blossom iMs a sight worth traveling miles 

 to soc. 



Nchimbiums. with innn|)heas and other aiinatic 

 plants, wen> ainong the few flowers kniraii or enlti- 

 vateil by the aneients. No ineni ion is made in history of 

 a yellow lotvis prior to tlie discovery ()f America by 

 wliite men, but over fonr centnries ago it was well 



kno\TO to the In- 

 dians and culti- 

 vated by them in 

 the waters of the 

 Tennessee and 

 Cumberland riv- 

 ers, and w;i.s abim- 

 dant on the tribu- 

 taries of the Mis- 

 sissippi. It was 

 carried northward 

 an<l eastward by 

 the Indians, and 

 was established as 

 far east iisCoiuiec- 

 ticut. At the pres- 

 ent tmie (1914), 

 it is established 

 and cultivated in 

 mo.st of the states 

 of the Union. 



The late Isaac 

 Buchanan re- 

 ceived tubers of 

 A^. niirifrni from 

 Jajjan, which were 

 planted in a 

 stream on Long Island, but there they perished. Later, 

 other efforts were made, and some tubers from the same 

 source were received and planted l)y Samuel Henshaw 

 in an artificial pond in the gardens of the laic Mr. 

 Green, at New Brighton, .Stalen Island, New York, 

 where they grew mo.st satisfactorily, .some of the original 

 stock being still in evidence on the estate. 



About the same tim(; K. D. Sturtevant, of Bordcn- 

 town. New Jersey, who hafl introduced a number of 

 tender water-lilies into cf)mnierce, and knowing of its 

 being grown in the Jardin des I'lantes, Paris, made an 

 examination of the condition luider which it exi.sted 

 there and determined to experiment in tlu; culture 

 at Uordentown, New .Jersey. Roots wen; obtained 

 from Kew Gardens and afterw.ard plant(^d in shallow 

 water in a sheltered spot in a milli)ond near Bor- 

 dentown. Here the plant grew amazingly, and its suc- 

 cess and hardiness were fully (established. I'Yom here 

 was disseminated the now famous ICgy[)tian lotus, 

 Nelumbo nucifera, to all parts of the IJnited States. 

 Several varieties have since then been introduces! 

 from Japan, including white and delicately tint('d vari- 

 eties, also deep rose, and double forms of both white 

 and rose. 



The cultivation of the luelumbium is of the simplest . 

 The roots or tubers should not be transj)laiit(ed until 

 there is evidence of growth, ;ls the tubers, being usu- 

 ally buried deep in the i»>\\ below the water and out of 

 the reach of frost, are not affected by the wann rays of 

 sunshine as early an nymphoas and other terrestrial 

 plants. If nchimbiums are dug before they start into 

 growth, the tubers should be kept in a wann jilace or 

 planted where the temf)erature is stich that growth will 

 begin at once. In the Middle Atlantic States and ciist- 

 ward and westward. May is the best time to transplant ; 

 southward earlier. Tubr'rs may be planted in shallow 

 water near the margin <>! the pond where it is intended 

 the>- shall grow. The tuber should be placed horizon- 

 tally in the .soil, first making a little trench or opening 



to receive the same and covering with about 3 inches of 

 .soil. Means nnist be ein]iloyed (o keej) the tuber 

 securely in jiosition and, if necessary, a stime orbrick 

 laid over the tuber. When the seasiin is late or cir- 

 eumslatices delay the |)lanling season imtil June, it 

 will be .safer to secure jjlants in pots or tubs. These, 

 besi<le being somewhat advanced, will tran.s])lant with 

 a greater degree of certainty and more satisfactory 

 results. In artificial pimds a walled section should be 

 built to hold the soil and keep the roots within bounds. 

 The walls should have no corners al right angles; where 

 there are stich tlu'v should be rounded off, so that the 

 rumiers are not intercepted and crowded in bunches at 

 the corners. The natural soil and deposits in ponds are, 

 in most ca.ses, all that- is required for these plants. They 

 will flourish e(iually well in a stiff or tenacious soil, but 

 when grown in artificial ponds it is best to use a mix- 

 ture of two i)a,rts turfy loam and one ))art thoroughly 

 rotted cow-maiuire. Do not u.se fresh or green manure, 

 and when possible have sods cut in the fall and stacked 

 with the mainire (in this case it may be fresh). In early 

 sjiring, have the same turned over two or three times 

 before using. Resort may be had to cultivation in tubs, 

 but the lotus being .such a gro.ss feeder, the result in 

 most cases is that the |)lants are starved into rest at an 

 early date. T\v leaves tiu-n a sickly yellow and present a 

 sorry ajipearance, and in many cases produce no flowers. 

 If no other method can be a.doi)ted, then secure the 

 largest tubs possible and during the growing season use 

 liquid or artificial mamu'c liberally. An excellent 

 method to grow nehnnbiums under artificial condi- 

 tions is to excavate a hole .5 to 6 feet in diameter and 

 2J2 feet deep with slightly sloping sides. Have a 

 fonn in readiness to place inside the excavation, leav- 

 ing about 4 inches clear for concrete. The form can be 

 of light material, the size of the pool desired, so braced 

 as to hold the concrete in place until set. Place heavy 

 chicken wire netting in the ojiening for reinforcement 

 and secure in place when filling so as to be in the cen- 

 ter of wall. When finished, this makes an ideal pool 

 for nehnnbiums or water-lilies, watertight and frost- 

 proof. U.se two bags Portland cement, three wheel- 

 barrows of sand and five wheelbarrows gravel or finely 

 broken stone. 



It must be understood that while the nelumbiums are 

 hardy, they are so only as long as the tubers are out of 

 the reach of frost. The depth to which frost penetrates 

 the soil or water may be termed a dead-line. 



The tubers are farinaceous and edible, and are of con- 

 siderable market value in Japan, but a taste must first 

 be cultivated for them in the LTnited States. The 

 muskrat, however, has developed a highly cultivated 

 t:iste for these .sacred morsels, and it is necessary to 

 watch these animals lest they take up their abode near 

 ponds where the nelumbiums grow. There are now in 

 cultivation in the United States a dozen or more varie- 

 ties, including single and double forms, pure white to 

 deep ro.se, and yellow. 



As to insect pests, black-fly or black aphis is some- 

 times troublesome. The best remedy is the lady-bird 

 beetle and its larva'. Also spray with tobacco water. 

 The leaf-cutter, or roller, is prevalent in some sections, 

 an<l both young and old leaves are attacked, also the 

 stems of the leaves and flowers. These have their 

 natural eniJinies in the fonn of w;usps anfl even sparrows, 

 and !is no li(|ui<l in.secl icide can be used, only such as are 

 in the shape of a dry [xiwder can be depended on. Paris 

 green, mixed with land plaster or plaster and powdered 

 slaked lime, is excellent, but dry hellebore in powder- 

 fonn, or slugshot applied by a powder bellows is the 

 best material to extenninafe them. A borer in the leaf- 

 stalks sometimes does great damage, killing nearly all 

 the leaves, so that no blooms are made. Apply "slug- 

 shot" with a bellows. Sometimes the di.sesused leaves 

 arc mowed off and destroyed, and a second growth may 

 escape the borers. \Vm. TnicKEH. 



