110 



aquatic %itt 



also is fit for food, and is tolerably sweet, 

 and is round and of the size of an apple. 

 There are also other lilies, like roses, that 

 grow in the river, the fruit of which is 

 contained in a separate pod that springs 

 up from the root, in the form very like a 

 wasp's nest, in this there are many berries 

 fit to be eaten, of the size of an olive 

 stone." 



It is believed that from this statement 

 of Herodotus the popular error has risen 

 that the Lotus was a native Egyptian 

 plant, although he made no reference to 

 the subject of Egyptian ornament, and 

 that Nelumblun speciosum was the typical 

 sacred plant of Egypt. 



The introduction of this pink Nelum- 

 bium or Nelumbo into the United States 

 dates from about 1840, when Thomas 

 Hogg, an oriental traveler, sent plants 

 from Japan to Isaac Buchanan, of New 

 York, but these unfortunately perished. 

 At a subsequent date plants were again 

 sent to Mr. Henshaw, a well-known land- 

 scape gardener of New York, and they 

 grew and flourished. Mr. Henshaw's 

 success with these and other aquatics led 

 him to introduce other water lilies into 

 various landscape designs carried out by 

 him, having first become acquainted with 

 the merits of the water lilies at the 

 famous Chatsworth aquatic collection of 

 England. 



The cultivation of the Nelumbo as a 

 commercial plant in this country was first 

 engaged in by E. D. Sturtevant, who re- 

 ceived tubers from Kew Gardens, Eng- 

 land, at about the same time that Mr. 

 Henshaw received his. These were 

 planted in a sheltered mill pond in shal- 

 low water, where their hardiness was 

 fully demonstrated, stock obtained from 

 them being distributed to all parts of the 

 country. 



The introduction of the giant water 

 lily, Victoria regia, dedicated to Queen 

 Victoria by Dr. Ljndley, did more for 



popularizing aquatics than any previous 

 introduction. Regarding the introduction, 

 I will quote Smith's records of the Kew 

 Botanic Gardens : 



"In August, 1846, seeds of this remark- 

 able water plant were first sent by 

 Thomas Bridges, a plant collector, who 

 discovered it in Bolivia. Part of these 

 seeds were purchased for Mr. Kew, two 

 of which vegetated and formed leaves 

 about an inch across, but, on account of 

 their having sprouted late in the season, 

 and our not being then acquainted with 

 the true nature of the plant, they both 

 died in the dull weather of November of 

 the same year. 



"From that time several attempts were 

 made to introduce it, both by roots and 

 seeds, but these arrived dead. In Febru- 

 ary, 1849, seeds were received, sent in 

 a phial of water from Demerara by Dr. 

 Boughton, which vegetated, and in March 

 six plants had become fully established. 

 A tank was made, 25 feet in diameter, 

 and in August soil was placed in the cen- 

 ter, and a plant was planted, which grew 

 rapidly, flowering for the first time under 

 cultivation during November of the same 

 year." 



From these plants seeds were distrib- 

 uted throughout Europe and this country. 

 Caleb Cope, of Philadelphia, having the 

 distinction of being the first successfully 

 to flower this variety, on August 21, 1851. 

 The leaves of this giant are commonly 

 called water platters, the terms water 

 maize or water corn are also used. The 

 last two are very appropriate, as the seeds 

 are gathered and eaten by the natives of 

 South America. The leaves will readily 

 support the weight of a person of 200 

 pounds, providing it is equaled over the 

 leaf surface. 



Prior to the introduction of J^ictoria 

 regia, Buryale for ox was considered the 

 largest lily. This plant, however,. is not 

 as handsome as its Amazonian neighbor. 



