52 ROYAL WATER-LILY. 



this, and one that well nigh blighted the hopes of 

 the most ardent admirers of the Royal Lily. 



The difficulties attending the introduction of this 

 extraordinary plant seemed to increase. Even after 

 being thus successfully conveyed to the Royal Bo- 

 tanic Garden at Kew an establishment affording 

 every facility for encouraging its growth the Vic- 

 toria perished in a few months, before arriving at that 

 condition of development necessary for the produc- 

 tion of flowers and fruit, and was consequently lost 

 to our gardens. It was not alone the difficulty of 

 obtaining living plants or perfect seeds, and getting 

 them safely transferred to English soil, that stood in 

 the way of the Lily's introduction to Britain. Its 

 habits were new to our horticulturists, who were in 

 a great measure ignorant of the natural conditions 

 under which the plant was developed in the South 

 American waters, and consequently were ill pre- 

 pared to judge of the conditions requisite for its suc- 

 cessful cultivation under artificial circumstances. Its 

 gigantic size, and other peculiarities, rendered its 

 treatment peculiarly difficult; no plant, requiring 

 the same care, and attention, and favourable circum- 

 stances for its healthy development, had ever before 

 come through the hands of the gardener. 



The tuberous roots of various species of Nymphsea 

 are capable of retaining vitality for a long period 

 after removal from their native waters, having, in 

 some instances, been revived by the application of 



