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or rootstock as when once injured they are liable to be destroyed by 
rot, An average depth of 9 inches to 1 foot in planting with a foot 
of water is sufficient. 
In manuring, the most satisfactory method is to drain off the 
water, place the manure round the base of the stems and setting a 
coolie to stamp it into the existing mud, allovyng the water to flow 
into the pond or tank on conclusion of this operation. Beyond 
removing withered leaves and occasional mulchings as described, 
very little cultural attention is required. 
Propagation by seeds and division of rhizomes. The seeds are 
often difficult to obtain owing to their many valuable properties. 
Division of the rhizomes is best performed by a sharp knife and the 
cut should be clean, a new growth being left to each division. 
N. speciosum;— Of this species there are many varieties, differing 
chiefly in the colour of their flowers. N. speciosum or the Egyptian 
Bean of Pythagoras, has deliciously scented large, white flowers tip- 
ped with rose and is spoken of as an emblem of fertility. The leaves 
are large and exactly peltate in the centre, supported on long, 
cylindrical pedicels. 
N. speciosum var. album is similar to the above with white flowers. 
The Japanese have several varities varying in colour from pure white 
to deep rose. The plant is wild in the Malay Peninsula, and is parti- 
cularly abundant in the ditches of Province Wellesley, where the 
native children gather and sell bunches of the flowers to the railway 
passengers. 
Nymphaea, N.O. Nympfiaeaceae; — A large genus of beautiful and 
popular aquatics of wide destribution, the majority coming from the 
Northern Henisphere or Tropical Regions and a few being found in 
South Africa and Australia. 
The flowers are solitary, often large, white, blue or red and 
exceedingly showy. Their opening is of short duration, lasting only 
from early morning until a few hours before midday at latest. In 
artifically heated houses in Europe, one variety N. devoniensis, is 
exceedingly peculiar with regard to the opening of its flowers. They 
open very early in the morning (about 4 a.m. or earlier) and close up 
shortly after 7 a.m. 
When a Nymphaea flower has faded (and this holds good in 
nearly all aquatics) it disappears under water so that when seed is 
required of these plants, the water must be thoroughly searched for 
them. 
Pedicels cylindrical, short or long as required by the depth of the 
water. When mature, they are always of sufficient length to allow 
the leaves to float on the surface of the water. Leaves large, cordate 
or peltate. 
