9o6 THE BOOK OF GARDENING. 



When the season for replanting comes round, before operations 

 are commenced it will be advisable to run all the water out of 

 the tank, as this will greatly facilitate the planting, and no fear 

 need be apprehended that the plants to be re-introduced will 

 come to any harm, providing care is taken in removing them, as 

 practically they will be at rest and without much foliage. It will 

 also be obvious that the more expeditiously the work can be 

 accomplished, consistently with proper care, the more satisfactory 

 will be the results. With few exceptions the Nymphaeas will 

 then be quite devoid of foliage, and especial care should be 

 taken when emptying the tubs of soil so as not to overlook any 

 of the tubers. Some sorts increase very slowly, but the Lotus 

 section are quite the reverse, being vigorous growers, and pro- 

 portionately productive of tubers. Should a tuber of either of 

 this latter section by chance get into a tub of another sort of 

 weaker habit it will soon establish itself and take entire possession. 

 The tubers, when removed from the tubs, should be placed in pots 

 of damp moss, and each sort labelled to prevent any confusion 

 arising when replanting is in progress. Tubs or large pans filled 

 with water should be conveniently to hand for the accommodation 

 of the floating plants, and wet moss will be found very useful 

 for covering the roots of others when removed from the tank. 



The tubers of Water Lilies during their resting period are best 

 left in the tubs in which they have been growing, but if it is 

 necessary to remove them they can be safely kept in wet soil or 

 sand in a warm house ; and those sorts that do not die down 

 entirely should be kept in pots of soil, submerged in pans of 

 water and placed in a similar position. 



Propagation. — Aquatics can be raised from seeds at any time 

 during the growing season, but the best results are obtained 

 if the sowing is done early in the spring, excepting in the case 

 of the Royal Water Lily ( Victoria regia and Euryale ferox)^ to 

 which special reference will be made later on in this chapter 

 when describing their culture. Seedling tropical Aquatics can 

 be raised in an ordinary plant-stove if the temperature of the 

 water can be maintained at about 75deg. Fahr. A simple 

 and easy method to adopt is to sow the seeds in small 

 pots or pans, about two-thirds filled with fine loamy soil, which 

 should be firmly pressed down, and the seeds lightly covered. 

 They should then receive a thorough soaking of w^ater, and be 

 allowed to stand for a short time before being submerged in 

 jars or vessels of water, allowing about 2 in. depth of water to 

 cover the tops of the pots. Of course, tanks or cisterns, in which 

 the water is of a suitable temperature, may be used ; but if the 

 water is constantly disturbed by some of it being taken out, it 

 will have an injurious effect on seedling plants, and there will 

 be the risk of seeds being washed out of the pots. Care should 

 also be taken not to entirely fill the pots with soil, or the action 



