WATER LILIES AND OTHER AQUATIC PLANTS 265 



twelve or fifteen feet of 4-inch earthenware drain-pipes is quite 



an inexpensive matter; and if these are connected with a down 



pipe carrying rain-water from a moderate roof area, there will 



be abundance of water for maintaining 



a pool ten feet across and thirty inches 



deep. 



To make such a pool the earth 



should be excavated to a depth of three 



to four feet, and the sides should be 



gently sloped "battered," as builders 



say so that the pool is wider at the 



top than it is at the bottom. It must 



be made watertight, either by puddling 



with clay, or by lining with concrete. In many places clay is 



not procurable locally, and it is hardly worth while to cart it 



from a distance. Where it can be got near it will do quite well 



if thoroughly adhesive. It should be first of all chopped up into 



small pieces, then watered, and beaten 

 up into a plastic mass that will spread 

 on like mortar. It should be well beaten 

 or trodden as it is laid on, and should 

 form a close lining not less than four 

 inches thick, preferably six. The lining 

 should rise a little above the water level. 



PONDS FOR WATER LILIES-PLANTING In the absence of clay, Concrete should 



PONDS FOR WATER LILIES PUDDLING 

 A, lining of puddled clay; B, rough edge 

 of original soil left jagged so that the 

 puddled clay may "bite" into it; C, 

 water ; D, iron rods embedded in clay 

 to hold it firmly and prevent slipping. 





A, stones for baskets containing the Lilies to De use( J fo r a lining three inches thick. 

 rest upon ; B, good turfy loam ; C, water ; 

 D, name label attached ; shows Lily 

 root in basket. 



With regard to planting, if the pool 

 is puddled the bottom may be covered 

 with six inches of turfy loam, and the plants put into that. If 

 concreted, soil could still be placed in, but it is perhaps preferable 

 to pack pieces of turf round the roots, tie the whole up in a bundle, 

 and lower it down. The plants will very soon establish themselves, 

 and grow vigorously. The planting may be done in April or May. 



(2,299) 18 



