which, also, gases rising through the water beneath may find 
egress into the air above. Moreover, if these holes did not exist, 
a leaf with such a tray form would collect rain water where the 
growth of various algae and fungi would doubtless hinder the leaf 
in its food making processes. 
The flowers, in our plant from 8 to 10 inches in diameter, are 
nocturnal and last for two days. They open slowly in ‘the evening; 
the following morning the outermost whorl of creamy white petals 
is unfolded, and throughout this day additional whorls of petals 
unfold until by evening the center of the flower is exposed. When 
the last whorls of petals appear, a distinct rosy hue is noticeable 
at their bases, and by the following morning the whole flower is 
suffused a deep rose or pink, and by a twist in the stalk has been 
drawn partly under water. The flower is said to be very fragrant, 
giving off a sweet, pineapple odor. Our plant has bloomed four 
times: five more buds are in various stages of development. The 
Royal Water Lily is a native of South America, where two forms 
are known : Victoria regia, growing from British Guiana south to 
the Amazon and its tributaries; and F. Cruziaua, which flourishes 
In the region of the Parana river and its tributaries in Paraguay. 
The two forms apparently grade into one another where the 
tributaries of the Parana and Amazon interlace. The plant was 
noticed by Haencke in Bolivia about 1801, but the first published 
description did not appear until 1832, under the name of Euryate 
avtazoiiica. Finally Dr. Lindley established the genus in 1837 in 
honor of Queen Victoria. For many years unsuccessful attempts 
were made to raise Victoria regia in England, but V. Cfvziana 
proved more amenable to cultivation, particularly in America, 
being a hardier form. Nevertheless the cultivation even of this 
form is attended with difficulties, since it is necessary to start the 
seedlings in the greenhouse and later to heat the water of the 
pool artificially during the spring months. 
At the other end of the pool is a specimen of Euryale ferox , a 
first cousin of Victoria, but a native of India. In the region of 
Bengal it is cultivated for its seeds, which are baked and eaten by 
the natives. Before the discovery of Victoria this was considered 
to be the handsomest of all aquatic plants in regard to size of 
leaves, which indeed resemble those of Victoria, but are without 
the upturned rims. However, its small purple flowers are disap- 
pointing, for one expects something larger and more striking from 
such exuberant foliage. 
The remainder of the north pool is occupied by horticultural 
varieties or by species of tropical Nymp'iacas, which are of excep- 
tional beauty. At the north end, near the Victoria, may be seen 
a small flowered form of Nyviphaea gigantea, a native of Australia, 
with rounded petals of a rich purple hue. This plant was raised 
here in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden from seed obtained from the 
Botanic Garden at Buitenzorg, Java. One of the most striking of 
the Nymphaeas is N. devoniensis in the center of the pool, with 
its profuse display of rose colored flowers. The “blood” of the 
