CHAPTER V. 



PLANTS FOR THE FRESH-WATER AQUARIUM. 



The bottom of an Aquarium to be planted in the same manner as a Garden— 

 Water-cress difficult to make flourish — Arrangement of Plants— Common Arrow- 

 Head cultivation by the Chinese— Arum— Water-lilies — Water-shield — Sweet 

 Flap — Forget-me-not — Sun-dew— Ferns — Valisneria Spiralis at West Point and 

 Fishkill Creek — llornwort— Its rapidity of growth— Water Starwort — Anaeharis 

 Canadensis— Remarkable power of propagation — Appearance in England— Choking 

 up the Rivers— Chara vulgaris— Nitella flexilis— Circulation of Sap-Mater— Crow- 

 foot — Awl-Wort— Spiked Water-milfoil — Marestail — Villarsia— lHick-bean — Water- 

 violet— Water Speedwell— Water Soldier— Pondweeds— Duckweeds — Frog-bit — Group- 

 ing Plants. 



Having our tank prepared, as to the bottom and rock-work, 

 according to our taste, wc proceed to introduce the plants. 

 In doing so, wc plant the bottom of our tank as we 

 would a garden, that is to say, placing the roots of such 

 plants as thrive best at the bottom, in the sand beneath 

 the gravel, as it is in this that they must grow — the gravel 

 only serving to keep them in place and retain them in 

 an upright position. Dr. Lankestcr, in his little book on 

 the Aquarivarium, gives us quite a long list of plants that 

 may be used with advantage in the Aquarium, many of 

 which T have tried and can recommend ; but there is one 

 he mentions which 1 have never been able to make suc- 

 ceed, and that is the common water-cress [Nasturtium fj/'i- 



