68 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Preparing the Plants. — Unlike the hardy Nymph «as which remain 

 from year to year in the water, and in the same soil too, even if in tubs or 

 in fountains, with a possible addition of soil thereto in the spring, these 

 and other tropical Nymptueas succeed much better if replanted every 

 spring. About the end of January we make it a rule to lift all of our 

 stock and then take that opportunity for a thorough cleansing of the tanks. 

 The tubers are put into pots for restarting into growth and are then kept 

 in a warm house, where the water will maintain a temperature of about 70°. 

 With one exception this is done at once. That exception is the ' Berlin ' 

 variety of N. stcllata, which I find can be treated to a resting period. This 

 Water Lily always loses its roots completely every winter — at least that is 

 my experience of it at Gunnersbury. We keep the tubers of this variety 

 in either sand or cocoa-fibre for three or four weeks. Then when potted 

 and again placed in water fresh growth commences at once and increases 

 with wonderful rapidity. It is not often that an old tuber will restart 

 kindly, i.e. such a one as flowered profusely the previous year. The off- 

 sets, however, make strong plants ; all that one could wish in fact. It is 

 upon these that we rely for our renewal of stock. A strong plant will 

 usually make two such offsets during the growing season. I think on the 

 whole these remarks apply not only to the ' Berlin ' variety of N. stellata, 

 but also to what is known as N. zanzibariensis, which is only another form 

 of A", stcllata. On the other hand that newer variety, whatever its origin 

 may be, and no doubt that too is a form of N. stellata or a cross with 

 another species — N. pulcherrima is that to which I now refer — is quite 

 an evergreen Lily, keeping its roots, and hence some, if only a few, of its 

 leaves during the winter season intact. This variety can be divided in a 

 similar way in the spring, but it does not at once start off into such a 

 rampant growth. We increase N. gigantea also from its young tubers ; 

 but when a pod of seed can be secured — well ripened — that is a better 

 method still. Then from germination until the flowering stage is reached 

 the growth never ceases, but increases in rapidity and vigour. 



Raising Seedlings.— 01 this Lily, N. gigantea, I have sown the seed 

 in October and flowered the plants in the April following within about six 

 months from germination. Sometimes the seed of this and other Lilies 

 ripens unobserved and germinates upon the mud. It is well, therefore, 

 never to cast out the soil without a close examination after seedlings. 

 After fertilisation has taken place the pod sinks below the water, 

 where it matures and eventually bursts ; the seeds then float for 

 twenty- four hours or so, and afterwards sink to the bottom, and 

 germination in due course takes place. Hence in order to secure the 

 seed a close watch must be kept upon the seed-pods. A few years back 

 I sowed the seed of the type of N. stcllata in February and flowered the 

 plants in about four months' time. I mention this merely to point out 

 the short space of time that elapses by adopting this means of increase. 

 Of the 1 Berlin ' variety of N. stellata I have never been able to secure any 

 seed. It is to be traced in the pod, but never appears to mature. In 

 -owing the seed we prepare ordinary seed-pans in which the drainage 

 holes are plugged and about an inch left for water only, the soil being as 

 advised for the plants when put out. These pans are stood upon the 

 hot-water pipes in a warm house, the only attention needful being that 



