2 
PARK AND CEMETERY 
they have been sufficient to warrant extended culture, 
and with a favorable season greater results may be 
expected. 
In southern and southwestern sections it is compara- 
tively easy to grow a varied collection of aquatic plants, 
including the Victorias and tropical Nymph jeas of In- 
dia, but in the vicinity of New York, eastward and 
northward, there is no certainty, and where these plants 
are desired it is necessary to furnish artificial heat. 
This is an expensive item in the culture of these 
plants, but, as we have a large collection of Nymphaeas 
and other aquatic plants, a grand display can be had 
without this necessary outlay and expense and at the 
same time a greater variety of color, if colors are 
aimed at. 
The hardy Nymphaeas and Nelumbiums embrace all 
colors, excepting blue, and the blue Nymphaeas can be 
added to almost any collection and from these - selec- 
tions may be made for any part of the eastern and 
northern sections wherever the native pond-lily thrives. 
The question naturally arises, to one not well posted, 
What shall I plant ? Confining one’s self to the 
hardy Nymphaeas it is not merely a selection of colors, 
though this is very necessary, but not the most im- 
portant. There are water lilies and water lilies, strong 
growers, moderate growers, and comparatively weak 
growers. Any person can imagine what the result 
would be if planted indiscriminately — simply the sur- 
vival of the fittest or rather the strongest, which in 
most cases if not all would not be the fittest. 
The hardy Nymphaeas may be considered as so many 
distinct groups, our natiye species consisting of Nvm- 
phaea odorata. N. tuberosa and N. flava. The Euro- 
pean species N. alba, N. Candida, N. sphaerocarpa, 
and the Asiatic species N. pygmaea. There are several 
subdivisions of these species, but greater than all these 
are the numerous hybrids by cross-fertilization. To 
any amateur such a list of varieties is bewildering; 
he has little else than a catalogue list of names, de- 
scriptions, etc., and a limited pocketbook, and without 
a knowledge of each variety is it possible to make a 
proper selection for planting a lake or even for tub 
culture ? 
Let us take our native species N. odorata and N. 
tuberosa; there is not a pond small or large where they 
grow naturally but they are perfectly “at home” ad- 
mired by every lover of nature and flowers, yet when 
planted in an artificial pond, in a collection, are not 
half as lovely. There is something in nature’s planting 
we can not surpass, if equal. What shall we do? 
Plant in groups. Who among us would plant a bed of 
mixed cannas, geraniums, coleus, etc. Is not this 
something of the effect produced by planting a small 
pond with as many plants of different kinds as can 
possibly be crowded into it r 
The odorata and tuberosa species with their many 
forms and hybrids, will not be satisfactorily grown in 
tubs or boxes ; we must follow nature and plant in 
groups, small or large, allowing ample space between 
groups or clumps. Plant only under natural condi- 
tions and in small ponds but one species or variety. 
N. flava is entirely different from the two former, is 
more aggressive and persistent and when once estab- 
lished is very difficult to eradicate ; but it is hardly 
likely to become a pest east or north of Philadelphia. 
It is more than likely to be exterminated in its native 
states by being smothered by the Water Hyacinth. It 
is a beautiful flower and to be seen in its best form 
planted in a pond by itself. It can be grown in a tub, 
but it apparently rebels at such treatment by refusing 
to flower. 
There are some grand hybrids of these species, not- 
ably N. Gladstoniana, N. Richardsoni, N. t. rosea, N. 
t. rubra and what is very generally offered as N. odo- 
rata Caroliniana, N. Mark Hanna, N. superba, N. o. 
gigantea, N. maxima. These all require the same 
conditions and are not adapted for tub or box culture 
or single specimen plants. The European species are 
very distinct from the preceding ; they have not travel- 
ling rhigomes as the American species and can be 
grown in isolated specimens or small clumps. Al- 
though under favorable or natural conditions they 
grow and spread considerably, on the whole this is the 
most interesting, profitable and most satisfactory sec- 
tion to grow. They should be planted out in clumps 
of from three to ten or even more plants in a large 
pond, selecting but a few varieties and these the most 
distinct in colors ; the larger number of Marliac’s hy- 
brids belong to this section and are uniform in growth. 
The trouble is that there are too many too much alike 
or a certain color predominates in a large number, 
though each have distinctive merits. Lastly we come 
to the Asiatic species N. pygmaea (N. tetragona), the 
smallest water lily, a gem. There is no question of its 
great value as a species for hybridizing and N. helvola 
and N. Laydekeri rosea are from this parent. They are 
invaluable for tubs, small ponds or basins and embrace 
the three distinct colors, white, yellow, deep pink or 
carmine. The followinig are distinct and choice varie- 
ties, *N. albida, *N. chromatella, *N. M. rosea, N. 
lucida, N. M. punctata, N. M. flammea, *N. Robin- 
soni, N. Andreana, N. gloriosa, N. Arethusa, *N. 
Jas Brydon, *N. Wm. Falconer. Those marked * are 
six of distinct colors. I would advise securing all 
these varieties and where possible plant in groups of 
six to ten plants, and do not wait till they are cheap ; 
this is folly. Such varieties as Jas. Brydon, Wm. 
Falconer and other high priced novelties are as good 
today as five years ago ; they sold then at $25.00 each ; 
they are reduced now to $7.50 each. One plant 
judiciously handled five years ago would before now 
have increased 200 per cent and I venture to say there 
is not a clump of half a dozen plants to be seen in the 
United States outside the nursery. 
