AQUARIUMS AND AQUATIC PLANTS. 
1-15 
AQUAIUUMS AND AQUATIC PLANTS. 
It has been generally considered that water 
should accompany rock-work ; and, although 
it is by no means necessary, water, well dis- 
played, is always so acceptable in scenery of 
any kind, that we rather seek an excuse for 
the introduction of that feature than for a 
moment admit there is any deficiency in good 
rock-work, even when there is no water ; for 
it is frequently met with in natural scenery 
far inland and on mountains, and that too in 
its most picturesque form, and most inhabited 
with plants. lint, reversing the order of 
things, we admit at once, that however beau- 
tiful water may be, a judicious accompani- 
ment of rock-work is always an improvement. 
Aquatic plants may always be. introduced with 
good effect in ordinary ponds ; and, generally, 
these, being made shallow at the edges, and 
deeper towards the middle, afford the greatest 
facilities for the cultivation of dwarf or other 
plants, for some of the dwarfs would not suc- 
ceed if planted at the bottom of a deep pond, 
although many water plants have the power of 
adapting themselves to their stations. In a 
general way, the dwarf plants, that is to say, 
they which grow only in shallow water, are, 
for the most part, insignificant in size, and 
seem to require that they should be near the 
edges to be seen at all; but, in forming ponds 
expressly for the growth of plants, much may 
be done towards accommodating the most 
tender ami delicate productions without ,~poil- 
ing the effect for more rohust subjects. In 
most cases where water has to bo introduced. 
IT 
the bottom of the pond must be impervious to 
wet, and therefore all the soil that is neces- 
sary for plants to grow in must be supplied 
either in pots or on the bottom ; but it is the 
safest mode of proceeding, in all eases, to let 
the choice plants have all they require, in pots 
or tubs, at the time of planting or sowing. 
The first step to be taken in the formation of 
an aquarium is to lay down the plan. This 
greatly depends on the capacity of the place, 
the supply of water, the nature of the ground, 
the surrounding scenery, and other local cir- 
cumstances. If there be water already on the 
premises, you have first to see if it cann I be 
appropriated, by an alteration of its outline, 
to prevent stiffness and formality ; because, if 
it can be rendered picturesque, as it frequently 
can, by merely altering the outline, which is 
a simple operation at any time, great expense 
is avoided. In a pond of small size the whole 
might be appropriated ; but large pieces of 
water, or long canals, are unmanageable, unless 
under peculiar circumstances. For instance, 
in a very large piece of water, shallow at the 
edge, it would be no very great difficult; to 
cut off a portion by filling in a bank of elay 
and stones, in such a direction as would give 
you all the water you wanted, and make the 
rock-work a bit of handsome sei'ii.rv on the. 
bank, which should be wide enough to have a 
walk on it, as well as the rock-work ; but if 
the pond or piece of water be deep. Ibis would 
be an expensive undertaking. In such '■■><<■. 
the aquarium may be made in the hot situa- 
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