86 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



THE BLUE NYMPH.EAS. 



By James Hudson, V.M.H. 



IntrodiLctory. — The Blue Nymphreas are not in any sense new introduc- 

 tions to our gardens. I note that N. scutifolia was introduced in 1792 

 from the Cape of good Hope, and X stellata from Tropical Africa in 1812 r 

 whilst X gigantea is recorded as having been sent home from Australia 

 in 1852.* Within the past few years more attention has been devoted to 

 their cultivation. This may, in some measure no doubt, be attributed to> 

 the greater amount of attention bestowed upon the genus generally since 

 the advent of the remarkable hybrids raised by M. Latour-Marliac and 

 others ; these are, however, of quite a different character and constitution 

 from the blue species and varieties. I do not think in any case that 

 success has resulted so far in obtaining a Blue Nymphcea which may in 

 any true sense be termed hardy in this country. They may, it is quite 

 true, be grown out of doors during the summer months in favourable 

 localities and under advantageous conditions, but this fact does not give 

 to them any claim to be considered hardy. They are beyond any doubt, 

 however, of much easier cultivation than was at one time deemed to be 

 the case. It has been the association with huge tropical tanks and. 

 extremely high temperatures during the growing season that has mili- 

 tated against their becoming more popular. Such, for instance, as the 

 conditions under which the Victoria regia is grown have been thought 

 to be essential. Such conditions, however, are not at all necessary, nor 

 is it requisite to have houses in which to grow them. By dispensing 

 with costly erections the question of cultivation at once becomes more 

 within the reach of the many than would otherwise be the case. 



Cultivation. The Tanks. — Under this head I propose to simply 

 record my own experience, which has now extended over about six seasons. 

 We started by building a small tank to accommodate them (size 6 ft. by 8 ft., 

 or thereabouts). In this tank provision was made for warming the water 

 up to 75° or 80° by means of hot-water pipes connected to the service of 

 a house adjoining. This arrangement has worked well and given no 

 trouble. The tank was covered over by a movable three-quarter span 

 frame, so as to afford protection from the time of planting the Lilies out 

 until well established, when it was taken away, and the tank then became 

 an open-air structure with the water warmed as already noted. For two 

 seasons we grew what is known as the ' Berlin ' variety of N. stellata 

 under these conditions and flowered it most successfully. Being desirous 

 of extending its culture and of adding other varieties two more tanks were 

 built. These were each G ft. wide and 32 ft. long, being covered with 

 pan toof frames having lifting lights on either side. As in the first 

 erection, piping was provided for warming the water, the pipes being 

 placed around the sides and resting upon the set-off of the wall forming 

 the tank 1) in. below the surface of the water. These tanks are all 

 * Vide Diet. Gardening (Nicholson).. 



