CULTURE OF WATER LILIES, ETC. 119 



made more ornamental. It may be built of either brick 

 or stone. The bottom may be laid with rough stone and 

 grouted with cement. Or, if the soil is of a firm nature, 

 a thick coat of cement alone may be spread upon it. 

 This' latter plan has been perfectly successful with us, 

 though we consider a concrete bottom preferable. The 

 walls should be nine inches thick, laid in cement, and in 

 cold climates made to slope outward from the bottom. 

 If it is desired to grow Nymphc&a Devoniensis, or similar 

 kinds, to full size of leaf and flower, then it will be nec- 

 essary to sink a pit in the center, one foot deep and four 

 feet square, to hold soil for them. Provide means for 

 emptying the tank of water, when desired ; also, a waste 

 pipe, near the top, for overflow. After the walls have 

 been built, and the bottom laid and grouted, the whole 

 must receive an additional coat of cement. About four 

 feet from each end of the tank, build a partition wall 

 about ten inches high. Bricks laid on edge will do, if 

 laid in cement. These spaces can be cut in two by an- 

 other partition. The compartments thus formed are for 

 the purpose of confining the roots of the different kinds 

 of Lotus within proper limits, and for planting out those 

 kinds of Nymphaea which do better in such a position. 

 The remaining portion of the tank can be taken up with 

 pots and large shallow boxes, which will be movable at 

 will. After the cement has properly hardened, fill the 

 compartments and boxes with soil, and cover with an 

 inch or two of clean sand. Fill the tank with water, and 

 let it get well warmed before planting anything tender. 

 As warm weather approaches, run a stream of fresh water 

 in, for an hour or two each day, to prevent stagnation 

 When the surface of the water is covered with leaves, 

 there is less tendency in this direction ; and all that 

 seems to be necessary is to replace what is lost by evapo- 

 ration. 



The Lily tank must be placed in a warm and sunny 



