1104 



NYMPH^A 



wSn 



likely to be found empty of water just as the plants are 

 showing their first flowers. 



Another method of construction which is better than 

 the preceding is to line the pond with well-tampered 

 clay, from 4-(i in. thick, afterward covering with 2 in. of 

 sand. Such a pond can be made water-tight, but the 

 sides will wash and repairs are needed; the water is 

 muddy and the plants are dirty and anything but a 

 thing of beauty and a joy forever. 



There are yet the advocates for tub culture. Yes, 

 plants will srow in tubs, and as soon as the plant-food 

 is exhan^ti-.l, \\iiich is often at an early date, the plants 

 exist iiv liiN ^iiiil tin u ilraw out a miserable, exhausted 



and dis.'iMinmilii; •■:,r,rT. 



Fountain liasins an- often made the receptacles for 

 Nymphaias. There they may be grown if the right con- 

 ditions are accorded them, but there must not be a 

 stream or spray of cold water running all the time, as 

 the watt-r can roadily be made cold, chilling the plants 

 and clii'l.iiiL' tin ir Li-i.wth. 



Ell. n 1 as have insect pests like other 



culti\a'', \ I'iiides are sometimes troublesome. 



Thebisi i> J- ilnirnatural enemy, the'Mady bugs" 



or "lath l.ii.l.s. A roluny of these voracious insects 

 makes short work of the aphides, as do also the lace- 



" aged flies. An insect of recent acquaintance with 

 leaf-miner, the larva of a small fly, 

 lels through the leaf in all directions. 

 Sometiiii. s only a f.w of these are in evidence, at other 

 times til. 1. :.\ . . ,11. fairly alive with them. The trouble 

 is easilN .in. .1. .1 I'lir marks suggest Japanese writing 

 or the itr.iits ..f y..uil]ful artists. A simple and effec- 

 tive remedy is kerosene emulsion, applied with a fine 

 spray at evening after the flowers are closed. Another 

 troublesome insect has its home in Florida, and has 

 come north to spend the summer in a favored clime. 

 This is a leaf-cutter, Hydroeampa proprialis. The 

 larva cuts out pieces of the leaf and hides between two 

 pieces, which makes a kind of tent. In this tent the 

 larva moves about. At first it moves slowly, but as it 

 Dears maturity the larva becomes ravenous and then 

 eats the surface of the leaves near the center, and cuts 

 off much larger pieces of the leaf for camping-out pur- 

 poses. The best remedy for this pest is a lamp trap for 

 the mature insect. Frogs and dragon-flies will catch 

 numbers of them. 



Nymphseas are also subject to a fungous disease, a 

 leaf-spot which is easily discerned after a spell of warm, 

 humid weather. After such a spell of weather, followed 

 by bright sunshine.the leaves are scorched and crumpled, 

 and as a result, the plant is sadly crippled by being 

 denuded of its foliage; new leaves are weak and 

 smaller, and so too are the flowers, if indeed there are 

 any. This disease must be checked at once or the plants 

 will be severely set back, if not ruined. The only rem- 

 edy is Bordeaux mixture, or any of the various mixtures 

 with sulfate of copper as the basis. Use a fine spray, 

 and dilute the mixture to half the strength recommended 

 for most plants. It is best to spray twice with a weak 

 solution rather than to spray once with too strong a so- 

 lution and to damage the foliage. Wm. Trtcker. 



Water-lilies IN CALiFiiiiNiA.- The culture of Nym- 

 phtea in California pres. Ill- f - a . i iHl, ulties than in the 

 eastern states. The vain . na- hardy in the 



East flourish equally Will n !/ ., i a longer period. 

 In frostless localities, is|>..i. 1 1 . -a i . i. the lemon tree 

 is free from injury, such ifii.l.i laii.-iics as Nymphma 

 Devoniensis, iV". dentata and S. Zausibariensis may be 

 left in the open pond during winter. In colder locali- 

 ties the tubers should be removed to warmer quarters 

 in November to remain until spring. If a greenhouse 

 is not available, a small pool built in such a manner 

 that it can be covered with hotbed sash will afford 

 suitable protection. Very little room is needed for these 

 when they are dormant. The manner of cultivating 

 both the hardy and tender varieties is much the same in 

 California as in the eastern states. For growing a small 

 collection a pool 8 or 10 feet across may be made by 

 excavating 2 or 3 feet, making the walls of concrete, 

 brick or stone, and covering the bottom with concrete. 

 The best quality of cement should be used for all the 

 work. An overfiow pipe should be put in and so ar- 

 ranged that the pool may be emptied when occasion 



NYMPH^A 



requires. Basins 20 or 30 feet in diameter, or even 

 larger than this, are desirable for growing a good col- 

 lection. In a small pool, wooden boxes 10 inches deep 

 and 18 inches to 2 feet square may be used to hold soil 

 for the plants. In a large basin some of the boxes may 

 be 3 or 4 feet square. While most aquatics will flower 

 freely in inniia. ii .1 .luarters, they will attain greater 



perfection I |h...1ii.i. niuch larger flowers if they have 



abundanri .t i...,i,i L.tli fi.r the roots and the leaves. 



The nia.i"] ii\ -.I ih. si- plants are gross feeders, and it 

 is well-iiigii iiiji).js.sil)k- to make the soil too rich for 

 them. It is not necessary to go to a swamp or natural 

 pond to obtain what is suitable. Any soil which will 

 grow good vegetables will, if properly enriched, grow 

 Water-lilies. A compost, consisting of two-thirds good 

 soil and one-third thoroughly decayed cow or stable 

 manure, with a sprinkling of bone meal, is recom- 

 mended. A dark friable loam, which is intermediate 



two years. 



If aphides or the worm known as the leaf-roller make 

 their appearance the leaves should be sprayed with 

 kerosene emulsion very much diluted, using 1 part 

 emulsion to 15 of water. If large ponds or lakes with a 

 natural earth bottom are used for growing Water-lilies, 

 care must be taken that noxious weeds do not get a 

 foothold. Cat-tails {Typha latifolia) and "tules" or 

 bulrushes are troublesome if not destroyed when they 

 first make their appearance. In California the number 

 of tropical and subtropical trees, shrubs and plants 

 which may be planted out permanently is very great. 

 Palms, both fan-leaved and feathery, giant bamboos, 

 Musas, Strelitzias, Papyrus, giant grasses, Fatsia and 

 Caladiuras are among the things which can be used to 

 ornament the surroundings of the water-garden. 



Edmund D. Sturtevant. 



The Gfnus NyMPH^A divides itself readily into 2 

 main divisions, which again are subdivided into 6 

 groups, according to Caspary (Ann. Mus. Lugd.-Bat. 2, 

 p. 240 fl. ; Engler-Prantl. Pflanzenfamilien 3, 2, p. 7 ff.) : 



Section I. Syncarpous Nymphtvas, i. e., carpels en- 

 tirely fused together. { Syniphytopleura , Casp. ) 



Subgenus I. Lotos. Sepals prominently veined: a 

 space between the insertion of the petals and stamens: 

 stamens broad, flat, rounded at apex: carpellary styles 

 linear: Ivs. sharply dentate: rhizome ovate, stolonifer- 

 ous. — Tender night-bloomers: fls. red orwhite on strong 

 scapes 3-12 in. above the water, opening on 4 successive 

 nights. Two or 3 species in S. Europe and Asia and N. 

 and Central Africa. 



Subgenus II. Hydrocallis. Sepals not evidently 

 nerved: carpellary styles long, club shajnil : ).itals in 

 alternating circles of 4: stamens niin-li a- in r.\sr\i,i\. 

 all opening about the same time: rhizunn i.-, an. st.,li.n- 

 iferous. — Tender night -bloomers: tls. rr*_-amy white. 

 About 9 species in tropical America. 



Subgenus III. Xanthantha. Sepals not evidently 

 nerved: plant spreading rapidly by runnei-s (except in 

 hybrids): fls. yellow throughout; stamens as in Cas- 

 talia: rhizome short, erect. — Day-bloomers, half-hardy. 

 Two species in S. North America. 



Subgenus IV. Castalia. Sepals not evidently 

 nerved: carpellary styles flat, not clavate: outer sta- 

 mens petaloid, be iuhL- l::ii |-.i'.\ . r i[i\. It.] : ititiii.-t -Ta- 



mens first to ripen, tt . . i liit 



slightly wider thtui : : ■ n i :■,. i . ■: : . : : -tital 



iexce\>t in y. trtiii. 11"! . ■.■. ■■...■ ..■..!,( i,i.,i.-f- 



tion against drouglii. — Ihii •! > •!.. i - . ils. white. 



pink or red. Mostly uati\. s ..t i. tii|.. i tit.- climates. 

 About 6 species in Europe, N. Asia, an.! .\nierica. 



Section II. Apocarpous .V//).././/./ .^s, i. .-.. I'arpels free 

 at the sides, united at their edges to the central column 

 of the fl. and at their backs to the receptacle. -Outermost 

 stamens ripening first, inmost last : rhizome ovate, 

 stoloniferous. — Tender day - bloomers : fls. on strong 



