FOURTH NATIONAL FLOWER SHOW 
153 
Courtesy of 
The McFarland Publicity^ Service, 
Harrisburg, Pa. 
AQUATICS 
FOR THE 
AMATEUR 
BY WILLIAM TRICKER 
as "amateurs." 
There has been much dispute as to who or what persons are rightly classed 
Webster says, "One who cultivates a study or art from taste, 
without pursuing it professionally." It has been my privilege to meet many 
such persons who have grown aquatics through taste or love for these most 
enchanting of flowers, and I am proud to say growers in this class have done 
more to popularize these flowers than professionals. 
Some 30 years ago a medical doctor living at Yarmouthport, IVIass., had 
a grand assortment of these flowers, long before such plants were listed in 
catalogues in this country. Another popular man in Springfield, Mass., who 
had a reputation for making the best skates in America, had also a fine col- 
lection of Water Lilies, and later donated a park to the city. Another medical 
doctor, living at Salem, N. C, was the first to grow a Victoria regia outdoors 
without artificial heat. I would also mention such gentlemen as John N. Gerard, 
John McElvery, S. C. Nash, W. W. Lee, and others, but I fail to find as many 
in the field of professionals who have done such work. Many of the worthies 
I have mentioned are still with us, and we are greatly indebted to them for 
what they have done to advance interest in aquatics. 
The persons mentioned are exceptional, it is true, but there are hundreds 
of others, amateurs, interested in their gardens, who are making special study 
of certain plants and flowers until they are successful. To be successful in 
growing any particular plant or plants, some knowledge must be acquired as 
