January 29, 1890.] 



Garden and Forest. 



55 



Mountain Ash. The Hobble-bush (Viburnum lantanoides) 

 has not always been found to take kindly to cultivation when 

 transplanted from its native woods, and the advantage of 

 grafting it on V. dentatum has already been referred to in a 

 recent issue of Garden and Forest. 



Arnold Arboretum. J ■ &• Jack. 



Water Lilies for the Million. 



COMPARATIVELY few lovers of flowers can indulge in the 

 luxury of growing Water Lilies in an aquatic-house, and 

 few can afford sufficient space in a greenhouse for such a tank 

 as G. B. recommends in vol. Hi., p. 20, of Garden and Forest. 

 But these plants can be more cheaply grown; and I will give a 

 tew directions from my own experience, in the hope that many 

 lovers of flowers will be induced to take up the culture of 

 these beautiful exotics. 



The Water Lilies of the tropics require heat to start them 

 and to flower them successfully, the dormant bulbs starting at 

 a temperature not below eighty degrees. Our summers are 

 hot enough to flower them successfully out-of-doors, and 

 plants sufficiently advanced to place in the Lily-tank can be 

 purchased in May and June at $2.50 to $10 each. This is the 



sixty degrees, but the growth will not be so rapid. When the 

 plants have made three or four leaves they may be potted 

 singly into three-inch pots, using the same mixture of soil. 

 At this stage they will require more room. Shallow tubs or 

 other convenient vessels may be used to place the pots in, but 

 no more than three inches of water should be over the tops of 

 the pots, and they should be kept in the full light to prevent 

 the leaves from being drawn. Where several plants are 

 placed close together care must be taken when it becomes 

 necessary to move them, or the leaves will get entangled. 

 The water can be changed by simply adding more, and 

 allowing it to run over. A good plan is to put an inch or two 

 of sand in the bottom of the tubs to steady the pots, but the 

 plants must not be allowed to make roots through into the 

 sand. 



As soon as the pots are full of roots they may be potted 

 again into five-inch or six-inch pots, using good loam and well 

 rotted manure. Three plants will be enough to place in tubs 

 (kerosene barrels cut in two answer well). When the 

 pots are full of roots they are fit to plant in their summer 

 quarters. One plant will then be sufficient in a tub. Three can 

 be planted if the tubs are to be sunk in a tank, but they will 



The Garden Front of the Luxembourg Palace. — See page 50. 



barrier to more general cultivation. But seed of several varie- 

 ties of Nymphaa are now advertised by leading houses at the 

 moderate price of fifty cents a packet, and if care in cultiva- 

 tion is given fifty per cent, will, in many cases, germinate. 

 Seed may be sown from January to March in shallow pots or 

 pans of sandy soil. Those who possess a greenhouse will 

 find no difficulty in maintaining the required temperature. 

 The pots of seed should be placed in a shallow vessel filled 

 with water, and directly on the heating-pipes, and kept dark or 

 shaded till the seed germinates. Then all the light possible 

 should be given. Those who do not possess a greenhouse 

 may find some means whereby seed can be raised. A frame 

 of common boards, six inches deep for the sides and ends, 

 and covering with sheets of glass, wotdd do for this purpose, 

 provided a kerosene lamp was used underneath to keep the 

 required temperature. When the seedlings are large enough 

 to handle prick them off into seed-pans, using good loam, leaf 

 soil and well rotted manure, in equal parts, rubbed through a 

 fine sieve. Place the pans in shallow tubs, covering with 

 about an inch of water, and it will not be necessary to place 

 again directly on the pipes, but keep them in a temperature of 

 about seventy degrees. They will not die in a temperature of 



be crowded and the flowers will be smaller. If the plants 

 are to remain in the tubs through the season, and not sunk 

 in a tank, more space must be left for water. Use the same 

 soil as when potting into six-inch pots, and finish off with two 

 inches of clean sand. The plants will flower well in these 

 tubs if kept constantly filled with water, but if at all vigorous, 

 they will push their leaves over the edges of the tubs out 

 of the water, and the sun will scorch them and check their 

 growth. It is much better to place the tubs in a tank. The 

 tank in which I have flowered Water Lilies successfully has 

 been simply a hole of the desired dimensions, dug in a conve- 

 nient and sheltered spot, yet open to the sun and having the 

 sides and bottom concreted and finished off with Portland ce- 

 ment. An eight-inch brick wall would be more substantial, 

 and consequently better, but my method may be used at first, 

 and the brick-work left till a season's experience suggests 

 improvements. 



A very convenient size for a tank is five feet six inches 

 wide, inside measurement, and not more than two feet deep. 

 The sides should slope if concrete is used and an edge of a 

 single brick will prevent the rim from being broken. If on 

 the lawn keep the edge of the tank three inches below the 



