PLANTS IN CONGENIAL POSITIONS. 



547 



Nymphaea stellata and other Aquatics. — My last example is of a 

 warm-water tank in the open air. It is comparatively easy to grow 

 Nymphaeas, such as N. stellata (fig. 163) and N. pulcherrima, in such 

 a tank. Wherever a tank can be arranged within easy reach of the hot- 

 water service in any glass structure, the connexions can be made, and 

 the additional heating required is almost infinitesimal. In our case the 

 connexion is made to the piping in a late vinery, where the junction 

 comes at a workable level. In this tank we have kept Nymphaea 

 stellata safe through the winter by not allowing the water to become 

 frozen on the surface. Another plan is to lift the Nymphaeas before 

 winter sets in, and then merely protect the pipes from frost. In such a 

 case the tubers can be kept, like Caladium tubers, in sand in a warm 

 house until the spring. The tank is thoroughly cleaned out and a fresh 

 start made towards the end of April. The tubers are started early in 

 March and put out in a growing state, with the water maintained at 

 about 70° Fahr. By the end of May some flowers are expanding; 

 thence onwards until mid-October there is a constant supply. I have 

 counted as many as forty-five flowers expanded at the same time in this 

 one tank. The fragrance is like that of violets. The particular variety 

 grown is termed ' The Berlin ' variety, and it is the finest form of 

 N. stellata I have seen. I think that, without doubt, this is the ' Sacred 

 Lotus ' of the ancient Egyptians. I saw it faithfully depicted upon 

 the walls in the Tomb of Mera at Memphis, in the Sakkara district, 

 near Cairo, last November. This tomb dates back to some 3200 B.C. 

 I saw it also well pictured in the collection at the Cairo Museum. 

 Now, I am told on good authority, no plants of it can be found further 

 north than Khartoum. 



The tank in question is well protected from easterly winds, but 

 open to the west. In it we usually have one or more plants of Papyrus 

 antiquorum, and several near the edges of Eichhornia crassipes. Near 

 to the tank on the land side Primula capitata thrives very well, usually' 

 flowering very freely. This Primula is difficult to winter with us, 

 the fogs no doubt being the cause of failure. As a margin to the 

 tank there are several plants of the silvery-grey tinted Festuca 

 glauca. The Papyrus has, of course, to be wintered inside, but even 

 then it is not an easy matter to keep it healthy, the cause of this 

 no doubt being the change from outside to inside treatment. The 

 moisture arising from the tank during the summer is quite congenial 

 to the ' Marvel of Peru,' which flowers freely near to the tank. 



Nymphaea pulcherrima. — In another tank we grow Nymphaea pul- 

 cherrima under similar conditions. This species has at the present time 

 some flowers upon it, but not well developed, as the tank is not 

 covered. If it were covered, a longer succession of flowerfi might be 

 had. A^. pulcherrima is of more robust constitution than N. stellata 

 and partakes more of an evergreen habit of growth. If but one variety 

 can be grown I recommend Nymphaea pulcherrima. 



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