PARK AND CE/AETERY. 
14 
Mistakes are of common occurrence, and none 
more common than calling in the architect before 
the gardener. I have in mind a very recent expe- 
rience. A gentleman purchased a superb site — 
perfect in every desirable feature, and his architect 
has done his utmost to spoil it by idiotic choice 
of building sites. The house is set upon the steep 
brink of a declivity, with ample room in front — 
but in the rear there is not room for a road or a 
drying ground, or a group of sheltering trees, much 
as all these are needed. Thirty feet or forty feet 
further from the steep bank would have given all of 
these conveniences, without a particle of sacrifice. 
As a rear approach was made impossible, and the 
stables were called for, the only available site'prov- 
ed to be one in front of the house, and situated on 
the approach before reaching it. It is really too 
bad to see such blunders possible, but I suppose 
they must continue while Americans persist in em- 
ploying paper men. 
It is impossible for a man to properly arrange 
the conveniences of a complete country residence 
site unless he has lived and moved through their 
varying phases, and nursery men, architects, and 
city men of business have but rarely had such ex- 
perience. 
Trenton, N J. James MacPhcrson. 
Nelumbiums. 
Mr. W. Tricker, of Clifton, "N. J., in a com- 
munication to Garden and Forest says of this class 
of water Lilies: The Nelumbiums have no rivals 
among aquatic plants for stateliness, and they can 
be used not only in the large lakes and water-bas- 
ins of public and private parks, but they have a re- 
fined character which makes them appropriate even 
for small water-gardens. They are so perfectly 
hardy that it is difficult to understand the frequent 
complaints that they are difficult to grow and es- 
tablish. One cause of failure may be that they are 
planted too early. Planting should be delayed un- 
til warmer weather and genial conditions set in, so 
that the tubers or plants will make active growth at 
once. When tubers are received from a distance 
they may have been subjected to a warm temper- 
ature in shipment, and therefore, the chill of a 
plunge in cold water may check their vital energies. 
Where the tubers have made young rootlets it is 
much safer to plant them in shallow boxes and keep 
them protected either in a cool greenhouse, pit or 
frame, until it is safe to place them in permanent 
quarters. By all means avoid the check to growth 
which always means weakness, if not actual death, 
to the plants. 
Another good plan is to place such roots in 
large pots or pans and keep them growing until 
warm weather, when the plants can be turned out 
with a good ball of soil and roots, and carefully de- 
posited where they are to bloom. Where there are 
no tanks for the reception of large pots, tubs can be 
used. Another method is to start seeds. Of all 
seeds none germinate more readily than those of Ne- 
lumbiums, provided the hard shell is filed through 
at the base of the seed so that water can penetrate. 
The plumule escapes first, sometimes two or three 
days before a rootlet is visible, and always from the 
base; therefore, by filing at this particular 'spot 
much assistance is given to the young seedlings. In 
a temperature of seventy-five degrees the seed will 
germinate in about six days, sometimes less. 
The seeds may be placed singly in small 
pots, or may be started in water and potted after- 
ward; in either case the young plants must be 
grown and established in large pots or pans before 
planting permanently. Nelumbiums will not flower 
the first year as seedlings, but will, in most cases, 
do so the second or the following year. Apart 
from theflowers, Nelumbiums are highly ornamental 
plants and worthy of cultivation for foliage alone.” 
The editor' adds: “Two seeds were placed in a 
small bottle of water and set on a desk in his office, 
and they germinated within a week.” 
Mr. S. W. Rubee, Secretary, Riverside Ceme- 
tery Association, Marshalltown, la., sends a photo- 
graph of their fountain as it appeared this winter. 
The above illustration is reproduced from the photo. 
