Chap. XX. 



THE NELUMBIUM. 



351 



above the level of the sea. The ancient pile of tem- 

 ples, which covered many acres of land, was situated 

 on the northern side of the lake, while others of a less 

 pretending character were seen peeping out from 

 amongst the trees on every hill-side. 



The lake, covered with flowers, the wooded moun- 

 tains, the ancient temples, and the glorious flood of 

 light which was scattered over the scene from a clear 

 sky, made one almost fancy oneself in some scene of 

 enchantment. 



In the garden of a mandarin at Ning-po I once 

 observed a very beautiful variety of the Nelumbium, 

 different from the red and white kinds already noticed, 

 and which I may distinguish by the name of A 7 , vitta- 

 tum, its flowers being finely striped. It was evidently 

 extremely rare in that part of China, so rare indeed 

 that I could not succeed in procuring a plant to send 

 to England. 



Although these plants are generally grown in the 

 stove when their cultivation is attempted in this 

 country, they are fitted by nature to endure a very 

 low degree of temperature in winter. They are 

 abundant in all parts of the province of Kiang-nan, 

 at Shanghae, Soo-chow, and Nanking, where the 

 winters are very severe. The ponds and lakes are 

 often frozen up, and the thermometer frequently 

 sinks to within a few degrees of zero. During the 

 spring and summer months the plants form and per- 

 fect their leaves, flowers, and fruit; in autumn, all 

 the parts which are visible above water gradually 

 decay, and nothing is left in a living state except the 



