276 ALPINES AND BOG-PLANTS 



shallow muddy water, but not dangerously prolific, if kept 

 in hand — and very delightful with its long thin leaves 

 and its refined dainty spears of brown plush. The Apono- 

 geton is quite different, so like a Potamogeton in growth 

 that I am always confusing the names. It throws its 

 oval leaves along the surface of the water though, not 

 particular, I think, as to depth, but perhaps preferring 

 about eighteen inches to two feet. In midwinter and 

 through a long scattered season unfold the curious, 

 divided spikes of white flowers, deliciously hawthorn- 

 scented, and appearing in such abundance as to make the 

 water look as if covered with drifted snow of petals. 

 Though the Aponogeton hails from South Africa, it is 

 absolutely hardy, if given sufficient protecting depth of 

 water, and left to look after itself in some still pool. 



Almost all aquatics dislike running water, or rather 

 water in too rapid movement. And, at the head of the 

 list come the Queens of the Water Garden, the royal 

 Nymphs themselves. From the common white Water- 

 Lily of our lakes to the newest reddest dearest hybrid, 

 all alike must have deep tranquil water, unworried by a 

 violent current, though not, of course, in a state of stag- 

 nation. The best thing, in cultivation, is to give your 

 pool, if you lack a mild feeding stream, a tiny little 

 incessant jet at one end or the other, to keep the water 

 perpetually fresh and moving, to the confiision of green 

 slime and weed. 



There is no need, now, to trouble with the common 

 white Water-Lily. So much larger, so much stronger, 

 so much more brilliantly white are the big foreigners and 

 hybrids, caiidida, gigantea, Richardsoni, gladstoniana, 

 of which Richardsoni has the merit of pushing its great 

 semi-globular white blossoms high above the water. 

 Between any of these and the others in the matter 

 of vigour, there is nothing at all to choose. For the 



