AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST 
[Septembek, 
ORNAMENTAL GEOUP 
Aquatic Plants for Ornamental Ponds. 
— ♦ — 
The term, Aquarium, lias of late years been 
so exclusively applied to the glass tanks in 
•which plants and animals are grown, tliat we 
forget there is an older, and quite as legitimate 
use of the word, viz., its application to ponds or 
enclosures of water in which aquatic plants are 
grown. A body of water, fed by springs or a liv- 
ing stream, is always desirable in grounds of 
moderate dimensions, while a mere pond, de- 
pending upon rains and drainage of the adjoin- 
ing land, for a supply of water, is always a 
nuisance. 
Those who possess a proper body of water, 
have the means of cultivating a number of 
aquatic and marsh plants that could not other- 
wise be grown. While some plants need a cer- 
tain depth of water, others grow well if their 
roots are merely placed in the moist margins. Our 
artist has represented some of tlie more striking 
aquatic plants that may bo employed for orna- 
menting bodies of water. In the centre of the 
picture we have the Water, or Pond-Lily, 
(NympluM odorata), which may deservedly rank 
as first in importance. The fine floating leaves, 
the pure white of its flowers, as well as their 
delicious perfume, make this the most desirable 
of water plants. This Lily has a large and 
fleshy root, as large round as a man's arm. It 
[COPTBIGHT SEOrnED.] 
OF AQUATIC PLANTS. - 
grows in two or three feet of wafer, and is 
rather difflcitlt to get up. When the root is ob- 
tained, sink it, by means of stones tied to it, and 
it will soon make itself at home. There is con- 
siderable difi'erence in the size of the flowers, 
and some of them have a pinkish color. The 
Yellow Water-Lily, (Nupliar ctdvena), is less ele- 
gant, but may be introduced to make up a va- 
riety. The tall aquatic on the left hand of the 
picture is our largest wild flower. It is the Tel- 
low Nelumbo, or Water Chinquapin, (Neluinhi- 
vm luteum). The leaves are often two feet or 
more across, and the pale yellow flowers, which 
are six or eight inches in diameter, are succeed- 
ed by a peculiar top-shaped fruit. This plant 
grows at Lyme, Conn. , at Philadelphia, Penn., at 
Big Sodus Bay, Lake Ontario, and in the waters 
of the Western and Southern States. It bears 
tubers from which it can doubtless be propagat- 
ed. Our native Calla palustns, much like the 
green-house Calla, but smaller, may be intro- 
duced in shallow water. This is shown in the 
engraving in the foreground on the right of the 
centre. To the right of this is the Arrow-head, 
(Sagittaria variahilis), of which the arrow-shaped 
leaves present a great variety of forms. An- 
other common plant, with an arrow-shaped leaf, 
and a spike of purple flowers, not shown in the 
engi'aving, is the Pickerel-weed, (PonteiUria 
cordata), and is found in almost every pond. 
Desiirned ami Engraued for the American Agnculturist. 
The banks of such a piece of water aS'ord an 
admirable locality for the curious Pitcher Plant, 
figured in May last, as well as for the brilliant 
Cardinal Flower, [Lobelia Cardinalu), and many 
others. Nor should the less showy but curious 
aquatics be forgotten in planting. The common 
Cat-tail, (Ti/pJM latifolia) ; the Reed, (Phrag- 
mites communis); the Wild Rice, (Zizaiiia aquat- 
ics), should not be omitted. Indeed, our own 
waters furnish enough species, which, judicious- 
ly planted, will produce a pleasing efi"eet. We 
have noticed only some of the most conspicuous 
of our native water plants. Any one can, with 
a little care, transfer to his pond the attractive 
plants he finds in his rambles, and there are 
besides a number of exotics worth growing. 
The HoLLTnocK as a BouQUET-FLOWEn.— 
We are so accustomed to see tlie Hollyhock 
used as a stately ornamental plant that it is one 
of the last that we would think of using in a 
bouquet. Yet after the abundance of roses is 
over. Hollyhocks go largely to make up the 
showy bouquets sold by the flower-girls in the 
streets of New York. The improved varieties 
are very double and neat in form, the tex- 
ture of their petals is delicate, and they present 
a great variety in color, from pure white to al- 
most black. Some of the shades of straw and 
