WATER LILIES 61 



may be expected in October, and by having several varieties 

 a succession of bloom is maintained until the end of April. 



The best Varieties for the open are undoubtedly the single 

 ones, though the double Marie Louise and Lady Hume Camp- 

 bell might be included in the collection. Among the single 

 varieties mention must be made of two rather new ones which 

 deserve wider cultivation, viz. : Princess of Wales and Cali- 

 fornia. Both grow strongly, and should be allowed plenty 

 of space for their large leaves to develop. The flowers are 

 also very large and borne on long stems ; when cut they 

 can be used with greater taste than is generally seen in the 

 arrangement of cut Violets. Victoria Regina is an old favourite, 

 and having these three one need not seek further in forming 

 a collection. With the doubles, many amateurs call all these 

 the Neapolitan, but the true variety has pale lavender-coloured 

 blooms with a white centre. They are very fragrant and 

 pleasing, and appear freely in frames during the winter, but 

 they have rather short stems. We rely chiefly on Marie 

 Louise, rich lavender mauve blue, with a white eye, a general 

 favourite, which flowers continuously until spring. Then there 

 is that beautiful late variety, Lady Hume Campbell, which 

 makes a good succession, and so prolongs the season of Sweet 

 Violets, not perhaps to the extent many would wish, but 

 certainly over a period that it is possible to induce the plant 

 to bring forth those deliciously scented flowers of which we 

 never tire. 



WATER-LILIES IN TUBS 



In a book for beginners Water-lily culture in lakes and 

 ponds does not come within its scope. Without large or small 

 expanses of water it is, however, quite possible to enjoy these 

 glorious water flowers, rich jewels of the streams of America 

 and our own land, and some not native of any country, but 

 given to us by the hybridist. Many of the hardiest and most 

 brilliant of the Nymphasas are the hybrids and varieties. The 

 various kinds differ greatly in growth and in the size of their 

 flowers. Some are of remarkable strength, the Marliacea 

 hybrids as an example Marliacea albida, carnea, chromatella 

 whilst others are quite small, little gems of the water surface, 

 Nymphsea pygmsza Helvola, and others. The smaller forms 

 are naturally most suitable for tubs. We must unquestionably 

 give to M. Latour Marliac much of the credit due to the 

 raising of new Nymphaeas. He gave to us Water-lilies with 

 flowers of many colours white, yellow, pink, rose, and red 

 all as hardy as the Lily of our rivers and back waters, 



