r 



ON AQUATIC PLANTS. 909 



water, and kept at a temperature from 6odeg. to 65deg. until 

 wanted for sowing. 



The special treatment that the Lattice-leaf Plant, Aponogeton 

 fenestrak, requires in order to produce a luxuriant growth does 

 not admit of its inclusion in a tank with Aquatics that require 

 abundance of light and sunshine. A tub about 3ft. in diameter 

 and i^ft. in depth is a very suitable receptacle in which to culti- 

 vate it. This should be situated in a warm plant-house in a 

 position where the hght may be subdued and the temperature 

 of the water maintained at from 6odeg. to 65deg. in the winter, 

 and from yodeg. to 75deg. during the summer months. A suitable 

 compost in which to plant it is one consisting of good fibrous 

 loam, a little leaf-soil, and a good sprinkling of coarse silver 

 sand. An Sin. or loin. pot is sufficiently large to accommodate 

 a good-sized specimen, and the soil should be pressed firmly 

 into the pot, afterwards covering the surface with small, white 

 stones, or spar, to keep the soil from rising in the water ; these 

 also serve another purpose, displaying to better advantage the 

 formation of the leaves. The crown of the plant should be 

 submerged about 2in. beneath the surface of the water. It is 

 most important that the water be clean and as free from 

 sediment as possible, rain-water being far preferable ; further, 

 it should not be allowed to become stagnant, or confervoid 

 growths will make their appearance, and injure the plant. To 

 prevent this as far as possible, some of the water should be 

 drawn off about once a w^eek by means of a siphon, and the 

 tub filled up with fresh water of about the same temperature. 

 If this does not check their appearance, a good method to adopt 

 is to cover up the plant and exclude all light for a few^ days, 

 when the confervoid growths can be easily syringed off and flushed 

 over the rim of the tub. It is beneficial to the plant for the tub 

 to be filled to overflowing by adding a little fresh water every 

 day by means of a watering-can with a fine rose ; or the same 

 result maybe attained (excepting that there is a continual slight 

 ■agitation of the w^ater) by a constant drip conducted by means 

 of a siphon from another vessel situated at a higher level. 

 This will cause the water to run over at the sides, and any dirt 

 that may have become deposited on the surface will be thus 

 removed. Propagation of the Lattice -leaf Plant is effected 

 by means of divisions of the root-stock and also by seeds. 

 It is rather a capricious subject to cultivate, for treatment 

 that suits it in one place sometimes disagrees with it in 

 another, which perhaps may be owing to foreign matter held 

 in suspense by the w^ater. As is the case with many other 

 plants, its successful cultivation greatly depends on apparently 

 trifling details, but a well-grown specimen is a unique object 

 of beauty well deserving all the careful attention bestowed 

 on it. 



