How to Grow Water Lilies-continued. 



For artificial ponds and tanks it is best only to give enough fresh 

 water to replace what is lost by evaporation, etc., and the best 

 method of doing so is to give the ponds a good syringing from a 

 hose late in the afternoon or early in the evening. The syringing, 

 besides giving the necessary amount of fresh water, will be very 

 beneficial to the plants, as it will keep in check green and black 

 fly and keep the leaves free from dust. 



Hardy Nymphaeas can be planted at any time from April to 

 September. The best results, however, will be obtained if the 

 planting is done just as they start into growth, which in the 

 vicinity of Philadelphia is about May 1st. 



Tender Nymphae»s will grow and luxuriate under the- same 

 conditions as the Hardy Nymphaeas, but the more sheltered and 

 warmer the location the better will be the results. When artifi- 

 cial heat can be introduced into the pond in early summer, the 

 results will more than repay for the extra care and trouble. 



Tender Nymphaeas should not be planted until after the weather 

 has become warm and settled, or at about the same time that such 

 tender plants as Coleus, etc., are planted in the border. For 

 those who have greenhouse accomodations it will be better to 

 purchase dormant bulbs, which should be started into growth 

 about April 1st by bein^ potted into six-inch pots, placed in 

 shatlow tanks 10 inches deep under clear glass, the water to be 

 at a temperature of 70' to 80°. Under these conditions they 

 will be extra large plants by planting time. 



The bast results will be obtained when planted in the natural 

 mud bed, but if the water is too deep, construct boxes two feet 

 or more squire and eighteen inches deep, and place these in the 

 pond twelve inches below the surface of water. In artificial 

 ponds and cement basins cover the entire bottom with ten inches 

 of soil, top-dressed with two inches of sand or gravel. If this 

 cannot be done, use boxes or half-barrels filled witli aquatic soil. 

 In small tanks or ponds there should be from six to ten feet 

 between each plant; in large ponds or lakes the best effects are 

 secured by planting in groups of three or more plants of one 

 variety to each group, allowing eighteen inches between each 

 plant and from ten to twenty-five feet between each group, 

 depending upon the size of the pond, location, etc. In planting 

 Nymphaeas, all that is necessary is to push the rhizomes into the 

 soft mud, so that they will be merely covered, and it is a good 

 precaution to place a stone on them until rooted, to keep them 

 in place. When planting dormant rhizomes, they should only 

 be covered with from two to three inches of water until they 

 have made their first floating leaf; then gradually increase the 

 water as the plants grow. When planting in natural ponds 

 where the depth of the water is not under control, it is 

 advisable to start the rhizomes in boxes or tubs. After they 

 have made one or two floating leaves transplant into their 

 permanent positions. There are more failures caused by 

 planting dormant rhizomes in deep water ten inches or over 

 than from any other cause. 



Winter and Future Treatment. Hardy Nymphaeas 

 and Nelumbiums need no care during the winter, provided 

 the water is of sufficient depth so that it will not freeze to the 

 crown of the plants. In cement tanks drain off all the water 

 and fill in with leaves or cover with boards and leaves or litter. 

 Tubs may be wintered by emptying the water and removing to 

 a cool cellar or greenhouse, or they may be covered with leaves 

 and soil in the garden in such a manner that they will not 

 freeze. If grown in tubs or boxes the plants should receive a 

 top dressing of bone meal at the rate of one pound to each plant, 

 just as growth starts in spring. It should be distributed evenly 

 over the surface of the soil, and a little sand or fine soil spread 

 over all to keep it from floating away. The second spring after 

 planting it will be advisable to transplant all such plants as have 

 made a strong growth. This should be done by washing away 

 most of the soil from the roots, removing all side growths and 

 re-planting the strong roots into fresh soil as before. The side 

 growths, if planted two or three together, will also make flower- 

 ing plants the same season. Lilies which are grown in beds of 

 soil or in natural ponds will be much benefited by an application 

 in spring of Dried Blood manure, broadcasted on the surface of 

 the water at the rate of one pound to every ten square feet of 

 surface. Tender Nymphaeas require to be wintered in tubs or 

 tanks in a greenhouse where a temperature of 60° is maintained. 

 As strong plants are quite troublesome to winter, even under 

 favorable conditions, we advise to leave them out and get new 

 plants each season. 



Nelumbiums. These are supplied in tubers, and should 

 not be planted before May 1st. The treatment is the same as 

 recommended for hardy Nymphaeas, excepting that they do best 

 when planted in mud or soil that is at least two feet deep and 

 covered only with six inches of water. When planted with 

 other aquatics there should be partitions of brick or boards, so 

 as to confine the tubers, otherwise they will soon take possession 

 of the entire pond. In planting, place the tubers horizontally 

 in the mud, so that the point will be merely covered. They are 

 gross feeders and should have Dried Blood manure applied each 

 spring, as suggested above. 



Victorias should not be planted in the open pond until after 

 June 10th, unless the pond is sufficiently heated so that a tem- 

 perature of 80° can be maintained, in which case the plants may 

 be planted as early as May 10th. Each plant should have at 

 least three cart-loads of aquatic soil for the roots, and 300 sq. ft. 

 of water surface for the development of its leaves, and a depth of 

 18 inches of water above the crown of the plant. In other 

 respects their requirements are the same as recommended 

 for tender Nymphaeas. In growing Victorias from seed, sow 

 Victoria Regia at any time between January 15th and April 1st, 

 in pots or pans, using finely sifted soil. Cover the seeds with 

 one inch of soil and a slight dusting of sand. Submerge the 

 pots so that they will be four inches below the surface of 

 the water, the temperature of the water to be maintained at 

 90° to 95°. After the seedlings have made two leaves pot tl.em 

 singly into three-inch pots, using aquatic soil, and repot into 

 larger pots as required. Seeds sown before February 15th 

 should be in twelve-inch pots or pans by May 15th. The 

 water temperature can be reduced to 80° after the first potting. 



To successfully germinate Victoria Trickeri, cut a .'mall hole 

 with the point of a sharp knife through the shell on the opposite 

 side from where the germ is, sow and give the same treatment 

 as recommended for Victoria Regia. Victoria Trickeri seed will 

 germinate in water at a temperature from 70° to 95°, and an 

 atmospheric night temperature of G0° to 65° will be sufficient for 

 both varieties. To maintain as high a temperature as required 

 to germinate and grow Viclorias, a metal tank is best. This 

 should be placed in a? light a position and as near the glass as 

 possible. Enclose it below with a wooden case and use a lamp 

 or gas-jet to give the desired uniform heat. All metal tanks, 

 before being stocked with plants or seeds in pots should have 

 one inch of mud spread over the bottom. This prevents metals 

 giving off injurious acids and gases. 



Submerged Plants. All tanks, ponds or lakes should 

 have submerged plants growing in them to aerify the water, 

 thereby keeping it pure and sweet. The best plants for this 

 purpose are Anacharis canadensis gigantea, Cabomba viridi folia, 

 Sagittaria natans and Vallisneria spiralis. These can be planted 

 in water from six inches to two feet deep. 



Enemies. Greenfly and other insects on Nymphaeas can be 

 destroyed by a weak solution of kerosene emulsion applied only 

 after sundown. Nelumbium caterpillars or borers can be kept in 

 check and eventually exterminated by dusting the foliage once a 

 week with slug shot. This should be applied early in the morn- 

 ing before the dew has evaporated, otherwise the powder will not 

 adhere to the foliage. Never use kerosene emulsion on Nelum- 

 biums. Musk-rats, the worst of all aquatic enemies, are easily 

 kept in check by steel rat-traps, set in their diving holes or about 

 two inches under water, where their runs enter the pond. Have 

 the chain fastened to stake driven into the mini well out in the 

 water, so that when the trap is sprung the rat will not be able to 

 reach the bank, or it will escape. 



Fish. Fish should be in all ponds, from the smallest tub to 

 the largest lake, as they will destroy all mosquito larvae and other 

 insects. In lily ponds gold fish are preferable, being both 

 useful and ornamental, and, if fed regularly at one place and 

 hour, they will soon become very tame, and will In- found await- 

 ing this expected meal, which may consist of a small quantity of 

 lolled oats or cornmeal. A tub should have two fish in ii. and 

 twenty-five fish will be sufficient to stock a pond one hundred 

 feet in diameter. 



A short note on Growing Water Lilies from Seed is given on page 125. 



(265) 



