WATER PLANTS— WATERSIDE PLANTS 405 



Propagation. They increase very rapidly during early Spring 

 and are readily divided. 



LIMNOCHARIS (Water Poppy). The proper name for this 

 plant is Hydrocleis nymphoides, but it is commonly catalogued as 

 L. Hiimboldtii. The species is useful for planting where the water 

 is only a few inches deep. The flowers are yellow, about 2 inches in 

 diameter. The plants must be wintered indoors. When grown in 

 shallow water during Summer, it is not necessary to keep them under 

 water during Winter. All that is required is to prepare a box of 

 moist loam; put the plants in this, in rows, close together; give a 

 good watering and stand the box under the bench of a warm house 

 where it will get a fair amount of light. They will make a new set 

 of short stalked leaves ere long, and remain in good condition for 

 planting out in the Spring. 



MYRIOPHYLLUM (Parrot's Feather). M. proserpina- 

 coides as grown in Washington has been seen by millions of people 

 for the past 10 or 15 years on the north side of the Treasury Building 

 in the upper basin of a small fountain. A few pieces of this sub- 

 aquatic are placed in this fountain and anchored to pieces of brick, 

 the result being a dense mass of bright feathery growth several feet 

 in length, making a most pleasing appearance until the arrival of 

 frosty weather. 



Propagation. They are readily rooted from cuttings placed 

 in the mud of a pool or aquarium. 



NELUMBIUM. There are at least two species, N. speciosum 

 (also called A'', nucifera) and N. luteiint, besides several forms of 

 the first named, differing from it principally in the colors of the 

 flowers. N. speciosum, incorrectly called the Egyptian Lotus; it 

 bears pink, red or white flowers; its forms are the best for growing 

 in ponds and fountain basins. A'^. luteum is the American Lotus, and 

 bears yellow flowers. The latter species is often crowded out by N. 

 speciosum. During Summer they make very long underground 

 stems, and, on the approach of cold weather, form thick resting 

 tubers at the ends of which are one or more dormant buds. Ne- 

 lumbiums need an abundance of rich soil for their perfect develop- 

 ment. When grown in a cramped space comparatively few flowers 

 are produced. The flowers are from 8 inches to a foot across. 

 They are borne on long, rigid stems well out of the water. The 

 leaves have an exceedingly ornamental appearance, being peltate 

 and standing a considerable distance out of the water. In this 

 way they differ from Nymphaea. The first few leaves float the on 



