82 



these remarks claims the regard of the Institute. Its artificially 

 produced blossoming, under remarkable conditions of vigor and 

 luxuriance, displays what patience can do, and what degree of 

 success shall follow. The creation, so to speak, of a new feature 

 of attraction in our city, elevates our standard of horticulture 

 which is already high. The crowds of wondering admirers, 

 who have been attracted by its novelty, give assurance that 

 there is a public taste of a superior order springing up ; a taste 

 which can appreciate a work so actively undertaken and laudably 

 accomplished. 



The Victoria has been known to botanists for many years, 

 but under other names and with imperfect knowledge of its 

 particular structure. It was first discovered by Hsenke, a 

 botanist sent by the Spanish Government in the year 1801, 

 to explore Peru for its vegetable productions, but the fruits of 

 whose labors have been lost. It was on the Rio Mamore, that 

 the naturalist first saw this vegetable wonder ; and such was his 

 transport at the sight, that he fell on his knees in admiration. 



M. Bonpland, the friend of Humboldt, next beheld this plant 

 in the year 1820, not far from the forks of the River Parana 

 and the River Paraguay. He found it there well known to the 

 natives as the maize of the ivaters, and used for flour by a 

 preparation of its seeds, which when ripened are full of a 

 delicious farina. Seeds were sent to the Garden of Plants at 

 Paris, in the year 1835 ; but in the year 1828 specimens of 

 the plant had been already sent to the Natural History Society 

 of Paris, gathered on a river tributary to the Rio de la Plata, 

 by D. Orbigny. The Indians who were with him called it 

 " Yriijoe" or water platter, an not inapt name for its singularly 

 broad and deep leaves. Nearly a mile's extent was covered 

 with its magnificent leaves, interspersed with occasional white 

 and pink blossoms, or else with its large prickly tankard shaped 

 fruit vessels, which were found full of roundish, farinacious 

 seeds. 



During a residence in Chili and Peru, from 1827 to 1832, 

 Poppig next met with it on the Amazon River. Five years 



