July, 19 11 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



345 



which are covered when water is up to 

 its full level. Until the plant was well 

 established the water would be confined 

 within this inmost basin. So far, this 

 was comparatively simple, but when it 

 came to heating the water, I was "up 

 against it." The plan of a boiler and coils 

 of pipe was too elaborate and expensive 

 to be thought of. At last it occurred to 

 me that since I could get hot water in the 

 bathroom from a heater in the kitchen, 

 a plan of that kind might be practicable 

 outside. From the greenhouse to the 

 lotus pond there was an overflow pipe to 

 carry off water from the roof, and inside 

 of this I had a gas pipe placed, carrying it 

 across to the bank within a few feet of 

 the Victoria basin. There I built a cement 

 box, partly below and partly above ground, 

 to furnish a receptacle for a gas water- 

 heater. The box was open at one end, 

 that I might get down inside when nec- 

 essary. The part above ground formed a 

 seat. 



From the gas heater run two pipes, 

 partly under the ground and partly through 

 the water, open, with strainers at the ends, 

 right into the inside basin, that taking the 

 place of a tank. When I had the heater 

 in working order, I got four short boards 

 and rested them on the circular walls of 

 the Victoria tank, to square and somewhat 

 reduce the opening. Upon this I placed 

 an old greenhouse sash I happened to have, 

 about six by five feet; thus I had a covered 

 warm tank in the centre of a water space 

 about eighteen feet in diameter. 



The scheme worked perfectly, and the 

 expense was trifling. The Victoria was 

 planted out on the 15th of May, and did 

 not seem to feel the change at all, but 

 grew right along. I had to go East in 

 the beginning of June, and returned home 

 on the 2 2d. The heat had then been 

 turned off for some time. The plant was 

 much crowded in the small space, and the 

 first thing to be done was to remove the 

 cover, fill up the pond, and give the plant 

 the freedom of the open space. A bud 

 was already above water and actually 

 opened the same evening, June 2 2d. 



Flan of the Victoria pond, showing how the central 

 basin is fed with heated water 



The gas-heating arrangement is concealed under 

 this box which, in summer, serves as a seat 



With one or two short intervals of rest, 

 the plant bloomed until checked by cold 

 weather in October. The great leaves 

 were as much admired as the flowers. 

 Some of the blossoms were exhibited in 

 Cincinnati. 



In addition to the Victoria, I had an 

 unusually fine display of more than a 

 dozen of the tender nympheas, including 

 a plant of Nymphea gigant-ea, var. Casperi, 

 the Australian water lily, which fairly 

 rivaled the Victoria. A tuber of the 

 N. gigantea, var. Hookeri that came to 

 me direct from New South Wales received 

 almost as much care as the Victoria, but 

 after starting well and making considerable 

 growth it refused to become acclimated 

 and sulked into a tuber again.. 



However, I did not repeat this Victoria 

 feat the second year, though perhaps I 

 might have done so had I taken all the car:: 

 and precaution I did at first. I had a 

 great number of plants that came up from 

 my own seed, so did not have to be so 

 particular. I selected the largest, though 

 it was not quite as big as the single one 

 I had the 3-ear before, and planted it out 

 about the middle of May. Soon after 

 it was necessary for me to be away from 

 home for over five weeks and when I got 

 home the first week in July, the plant had 

 but two leaves of moderate size. When 

 a third would appear the older one would 

 die off. After waiting for a week or so, 

 I turned the heat on again in the inner 

 basin. The pond was filled up at this 

 time and overflowed the division when 

 the Victoria was planted. But it responded 

 immediately to the warmth at the roots 

 and seemed to be anxious to make up for 

 lost time. The first flower appeared the 

 last of August and from that time it 

 averaged two blossoms a week. When 

 the plant was finally killed by frost it had 

 five leaves; the one the previous year 

 had eight. 



Some Water Lily Details 



By Luke J. Doogue, Massachusetts 



V\7HETHER water lilies are being 

 * » grown in a small lily pond or in 

 barrels or tubs, the soil in which they are 

 planted must be a good heavy loam well 

 mixed with old cow manure. Sunshine is 

 also essential. Water lilies are not diffi- 

 cult to grow, and if their habits and re- 

 quirements are studied a little they can be 

 handled almost as 

 easily as geraniums. 



My little water 

 garden consists of a 

 half barrel or tub. 

 This was filled to 

 within six inches of 

 the top with soil and 

 plunged in the 

 ground. A couple of 

 plants were put in 

 the tub and six 

 inches of water was 

 kept over them con- 

 tinuously. They 

 made a splendid 

 showing during the 

 summer with com- 

 paratively little care. 



Hardy lilies may be 

 planted out around 



the first part of May, but the tender varie- 

 ties are best held until the latter part of 

 May or the first of June. After the sum- 

 mer the tubers are taken up and put in 

 a cool cellar, where they will be dormant 

 all winter. 



In the spring, if it is found that 

 the plants have become too large for 

 your purpose, they can be divided, and 

 by potting the side shoots, placing two or 

 three in a pot, flowering plants can be had 

 in the 'summer. 



Tender lilies are easily grown from seed. 

 I sow the seed in the spring in small pots 

 and cover lightly with sand. I then put 

 the pots in water, about two or three 

 inches of water being over the pot, in a 

 warm place where the sunlight can fall 

 upon them. When the first leaves are 

 formed, the plants should be given one 

 shift before being planted out in June. 



A water lily plant after 

 being divided 



This plant can easily be divided and the side shoots 

 will make good plants 



