60 ROYAL WATER-LILY. 



centre are about two inches deep, gradually shal- 

 lower towards the edge, and connected with each 

 other by means of smaller ones, altogether forming 

 a strong network, the whole being armed with 

 powerful spines. The growth of the plant has lat- 

 terly been so vigorous, that it has become necessary 

 to enlarge the tank to nearly double its original size. 

 This alteration is now being made; when completed, 

 the deeper portion of the addition will be planted 

 with the different species of Nelumbium now advanc- 

 ing towards a flowering state; and at the corner will 

 be placed Nymphsea rubra, N. ccerulea, N". dentata, 

 and N. odorata, most of which are already in flower, 

 and are found to grow at a surprising rate in the 

 temperature kept up for the Victoria. Altogether, 

 I hope to form a very beautiful, fragrant, and inte- 

 resting group of tropical and other aquatics." 



At the London Horticultural Society's exhibition, 

 in Chiswick Gardens, on 20th July, 1850, Mr Ivison 

 exhibited two leaves of the Victoria Water-Lily, each 

 measuring about six feet in diameter, and one of the 

 magnificent flowers. This production, as noble as it 

 was novel at such an exhibition, no doubt attracted 

 considerable attention from visiters; and it occurs to 

 us, that Horticultural Societies would do well to re- 

 ward the successful cultivators of the Royal Lily, and 

 otherwise encourage the cultivation of the entire fa- 

 mily of Water-Lilies. Although the improvement of 

 already well-known ornamental plants, and the in- 



