PARK AND CEMETERY. 
249 
WATER LILIES AND OTHER AQUATIC PLANTS. 
Aqaiiticultiire lias been attended with marked 
results; no style of gardening or the art of decora- 
tion or embellishment of parks and public gardens, 
cemeteries, etc , have been more satisfactory than 
where water lilies in all their varied forms, with 
their associate plants such as bamboos, ornamental 
grasses, sub-aquatic plants and hardy perennial 
plants have been employed. 
Where a commencement has been made a fuller 
and wider development is constantly taking place. 
Success achieved by a fellow-worker in the same 
sphere is always a stimulus to others to do likewise 
and there are numbers who contemplate making a 
venture in this particular line this coming season. 
Now is the time, while field operations are 
stayed, to lay plans for future work. The site for 
the pond having previously been determined the 
size, shape, depth, etc., should now be decided 
upon and the approximate amount of soil to be re- 
moved, labor, cost of materials, etc. This natur- 
ally exceeds the amount necessary to purchase stock 
for planting the pond, but where there are natural 
ponds, much labor and expense are saved, but as a 
rule these natural ponds are not in the right loca- 
tion where one is desirous of making a grand dis- 
play, but these should not be abandoned, they 
should be utilized as well as their surroundings and 
planted with suitable plants in harmony with the 
landscape. 
If those who purpose giving aquatics more than 
a passing consideration, and intend to grow a few 
plants in a small way, I would say “don’t.” You 
may say well, if I succeed I can make a larger pond 
another year, but why go to such needless expense 
as to build a small one this season and a large one next. 
The success that has attended the efforts of 
other growers, should be conclusive that you can do 
likewise, and commence with the determination that 
you will succeed and instead of having a few tubs 
or a small tank, if you have to build an artificial 
one, make one large enough to contain a fair col- 
lection of say about twenty-five plants and as each 
plant would cover a surface space of say ten to fif- 
teen feet each in diameter it would require a pond 
of at least 2,500 superficial feet. But while severa’ 
may feel disposed to carry out such advice there is 
in most cases a limit, and no appropriation could be 
secured to accomplish such an undertaking, xYll 
I can say under such conditions, do the most you 
can, and make as large a pond as you can, for if 
you commence in a small way with only half a 
dozen plants, you will soon find there are so many 
more good varieties that you must have and the re- 
sult is that you are obliged to build another addi- 
tion, or you may crowd the plants into less than 
half their wanted space and the result will be poor 
and undersized flowers, disappointment, and it may 
be said the water-lilies were not a success. What- 
ever the size of the pond avoid over crowding. If 
you desire the greatest variety in a given space then 
select the moderate growers. These as a rule give 
a larger variety in color, and the choicest, but they 
do not attract as do the big fellows. 
To have large healthy attractive plants, provide 
wooden boxes about 3 feet square and i foot deep, 
(presuming it is an artificial pond to be planted) 
these should be placed about 10 feet apart, and 
filled with a rich compost composed of two-thirds 
turfy loam and one-third cow manure. If cow ma- 
nure cannot be had then the best rotten manure that 
can be procured and if possible have the sod dug 
and composted with the manure and turned two or 
three times before using. 
The following selection will be found very good 
for commencing with and as they are all standard 
varieties and embracing the four cardinal colors, 
red, white, blue and yellow, hardy and tender, day 
and night blooming they will prove very satisfac- 
tory not only as a selection but as to reasonable cost. 
HARDY NYMPH.TAS. 
N. Carnea, N. Odorata rosea. N. Candidissima, 
N. Albida, N. Chromatella, N. Odorata sulphurea. 
TENDER NYMPIIH^;AS. 
N. Devoniensis, N. Deaniana, N. Dentata, N. 
Jubilee, N. Zanz Azurea, N. Ccerulea. 
NELUMP.IUMS OR LOTUS. 
N. Speciosa, N. Abum grandiflorum. If the 
latter are included in the collection a larger space 
than a three foot box should be provided. The 
best way is to make a division near the side of the 
pond by building a wall of single brick to confine 
the roots to the given space, the wall need not be 
any higher then is necessary to hold the soil. The 
size should be in accordance with the whole. A 
space 9 ft. by 3 ft would be about the size. Where 
as many as twelve plants of Nymphaeas are grown 
two such spaces can be utilized. The proper time 
for planting depends very much on the location. 
April and May will do for the hardy varieties, pro- 
viding the season is surely advancing, and evidence 
had by vegetation all around. Tender varieties 
should not be planted until settled warm weather, 
and when it is safe to risk tender plants out-of-doors 
the best way is to procure dormant tubers of the 
tender varieties early and grow them in doors; small 
tubers started in four-inch pots and kept in a warm 
greenhouse, will make strong plants for planting out 
in May. Where a tank is not at command tubs can 
be used, always placing them where they will de- 
rive the full benefit of the sun with free ventilation. 
PF. Tricker, 
