THE AMERICAN WATER LILY. 13 
loosely. From 4 to 6 P. M. the flower again opened, and exposed to view the inner and crimson petals. At 6.30, the staminate petals raised themselves, 
assuming an erect position, widening, however, by a slight curve at the extremities. At 7, the stamens had followed, and the bloom was completed. By 
9 P. M. the interior or third get of petals and the stamens had become of a golden hue, and at this moment the flower was very beautiful. On the morning 
of the 23d, it was closed partially, and as the day advanced, this process continued, until it sunk under water. 
* July 24. The fourth bud discovered to-day. On the 28th, the second flower opened, and as my friend, the Rev. J. L. Russect, has written a just and 
much more poetical description of the blooming than T can do, with his permission it is here used :— 
“Tn the still and secluded bays of the Amazon and in the shallow waters of the forest lakes of tropical America, grows a vegetable wonder, the Victo- 
tia Regia, or Royal Water Lily of South America. The patience and skill of man has borne this magnificent plant from its native home, and transplanted 
it in the gardens of these northern regions. Tt has been lately my good fortune to have seen a specimen of this regal lily, and to ‘consider how it grows,’ 
“Tn November, 1849, it first blossomed under cultivation in England; in 1851 it produced its flowers in Philadelphia; on the 21st July, 1853, it 
blossomed in Salem, and on Friday it showed another splendid flower in that city. 
“First the bud presents itself, supported by a stout spiny stem, and lying on its side just above the surface of the water. As the sun rises and heats 
the atmosphere, it assumes a variety of positions, now standing almost perpendicular, now lifting itself gradually, and now lolling from side to side of the 
tank. As the luminary of day sinks in the west, the sensitive bud, as if regretting its departure, in its sorrow sinks beneath the water and is scarcely seen. 
On Thursday afternoon, at 4 o'clock, two of the outer flower leaves (calyx) sprung off with great force, and, in three fourths of an hour from this time, the 
regal beauty of the waters had displayed its first stage of glory! As each broad petal unfurled itself, it fell partly backwards, until three distinct rows 
formed a cup of rare elegance and of apparently the whitest purity. The still air of the greenhouse was now filled with its rich perfume, as if it were some 
conscious Beneficence silently blessing all in its august presence. This chaste cup of ivory-like color was set off by the yet unfolded interior flower leaves 
(petals), betraying a few streaks of carmine tints, whose splendor was yet to be revealed. 
“ Ag the still shades of evening stole over us, the proud queen of the waters remained in an unchanging serene beauty, and awaited another day. For 
nearly twenty-four hours, it was much the same, the expanded petals changing their positions somewhat, and partially closing at meridian; but about 4.30 
P. M. on Friday last, nature resumed her office in the panorama of this vegetable marvel. 
“The first evidence of the unfolding was the somewhat sudden springing apart of the interior petals. As they opened, so each change showed some- 
thing new and gorgeous. Here, on one portion, was the flower leaves (petals), no longer of ivory whiteness, but tinted with delicate rose; on another part 
were streaks and dashes and spots of rich carmine ; and on others were pencil markings of the same color, and of a feathery outline; on others still, the 
crimson color was intense, and some petals were of that entire color, except at the very base, where a clear white obtained. 
“Thus the regal lily had assumed her robe of state, and was attired in a drapery of Tyrian splendor, ‘such as Solomon in all his glory could never 
boast?” Nor was this all. The proud attire of the queenly plant was not yet assumed. The plastic hands of the servitors of nature were yet to mould the 
royal diadem and crown their lovely monarch. The interior of the flower appeared like a large button carved out of delicate rose-colored carnelian, with 
its centre depressed. In a few minutes the eye could perceive a change. The depression rose visibly to the surface, and presently it became of a conical 
form. The rosy and narrow petals also, swelling at their curved portions, gradually became erect, and the points of each petal, standing close side by side, 
made an empalement of a circular outline. As this rapidly appeared, the interest of the spectators was at its height. In a few minutes the entire spectacle 
was to be completed. At last, the golden anthers were visible, and the triple coronal circle of their narrow laminz stood up around the precious disk of 
the flower, to minister to its future destiny and to complete its work. ‘The stately beauty of such a spectacle could scarcely he comprehended at this 
moment of its fulfilment. It fills my mind even now, and appears more exceedingly strange and fearfully pleasant as distance and time lend their enchant- 
ment to the scene.” 
A bud and leaf continued to appear, and a flower to expand, on every sixth or seventh day through August. The last of this month and the early part 
of September, the temperature of the house and of the water was kept very low, to harden the plant, if possible. As an enlarged house was found desirable 
in order that the tank might be of more ample dimensions, circumstances required the entire removal of the house containing the lily. Unfortunately, the 
weather became very cold soon after the removal, and the mereury fell on several nights as low as 42° to 50°, Fahrenheit. Fires were kept under the boiler 
at night, and every precaution taken to shelter the plant by covering the tank with boards and carpets. ‘The temperature of the water decreased from day 
to day, and when the glass was put upon the house, the 16th day of September, it was 67°. The effect produced upon the plant was more apparent on the 
flowers and buds than upon the leaves, checking the growth of both, but more effectually that of the buds. 
The sixth and seventh flowers continued in bloom three and four days in consequence of this. They did not open wide, but perfected the bloom, 
assuming and retaining the cup shape, the form of the first stage. The seed vessels were more or less injured by this low temperature, and the older leaves 
became spotted with decaying portions, and this was all the injury that could be discovered. On several occasions T have noticed that there was apparently 
a discharge of a thick, muddy or gummy substance from the under side of the leaves. By this the edges of the tank have been stained, and white sub- 
stances placed in the water have been colored a purplish red. A free flow of pure water through the tank would remove this. It will be proper here to 
mention that I depended upon rain for a supply of fresh water, and that this colored discharge took place when there was a deficiency in the supply. 
The account by Mr. Cope of the flowering of his, the first Victoria Regia grown in this country, together with a diary of its progress from the seed to 
its blooming by his gardener, may be found in the Horticulturist, Vol. VI, page 460, a condensed account of which we have copied, page 11. It will be 
noticed on comparison that the first flower-bud flollowed the twenty-seventh leaf and with the twenty-eighth in both plants. The salver or uptumed edge 
to the leaf appeared at an earlier period of growth on my plant, which F attribute to growing it at a lower temperature of the water. My plant vegetated 
at midwinter, and as no artificial heat was applied to the water after the first of June, its progress may be considered as satisfactory. 
