notes on the newer or lesser known water-lilies. 307 



Hybridisation and Propagation from Seed. 

 Thus far I have not done much in the way of hybridising, 

 and that only during the summer just ended. With this object 

 in view, I have made the culture of N. stcllata a special feature, 

 in order to cross it with the hardy varieties, if possible, hoping 

 to obtain by so doing some distinct addition that may be grown 

 in the open water, or practically a hardy blue variety. Whether 

 I shall in any way succeed remains to be proved. With the 

 others I hope also, at any rate, to make an attempt, if only from 

 the point of interest as regards the behaviour of the seedlings. 

 Seed has, I know, been sent home from Norway, and if that be 

 good seed I see no reason why we should not save seed here 

 also. It would be a boon if we could save seed here from some of 

 the choicest hybrids, which are even still too scarce. Seed has, 

 so I have been informed, been saved in some instances already, 

 and the seedlings in one instance have appeared. How long it 

 may be before any English-raised seedlings come into flower I 

 am unable to say at present. I believe in one instance they have 

 come up quite spontaneously from self-sown seed ; this, even in 

 itself, is interesting, and the result should be watched with con- 

 siderable expectations for any variation that may arise. 



Varieties. 



I have thus far alluded to some of the earlier and still better 

 known varieties of these handsome water plants, and I hope that 

 when these remarks are read they may be the means of others 

 entering upon their cultivation. I have at Gunnersbury the 

 following varieties or species under cultivation, viz. — 



N. alba, a species well known to all of us, and one well 

 worthy of all that can be said in its favour. I would add, how- 

 ever, that where it thrives vigorously, as it does with us, it 

 requires to be broken up occasionally, otherwise it becomes too 

 dense for the flowers to be seen as they should be. 



N. alba-rosea, also known as N. Caspary, has not much in 

 common with the foregoing. It does not produce offsets so 

 freely, being more disposed to keep to one crown ; at least, such 

 has been my experience of it. li is one of the very earliest to 

 grow, and, as afore stated, to flower. In colour it is a soft rosy 

 pink, and in size rather smaller than the type, compared with 

 which also it is not so profuse in flowering, but nevertheless a 



