SEMI-TROPIC r. ILIFORNIA. 
Rfi 
VICTORIA REGIA, 
oaewxtsa «i arj- or wATrn i.n.v wot'M, mmnx\ 
GATS PARK, SAX I flANcIS-'n, I'Al.iyOBNIA, 
TN this number of the Semi-Tropic Cali- 
I fornia, we present our reader* with n 
description an<l illustmtionv of the most 
boautifill and rare of nil aquatic plant*. 
It is exceedingly difficult of cultivation, 
nnd even in its home «mw to lind fow con¬ 
genial localities; at leant it is so seldom 
They come to tin' surface before unroll¬ 
ing, ami while unfolding are exquisitely 
I Mumf jfill, rivaling even the flowers them¬ 
selves, being pale green on the upper sur¬ 
face and rich purplish erimson beneath. 
They often measure from six to twelve feet 
in iliium 1. 1 , with margins uniformly turned 
up. Their texture is I bin and tender, hut 
by placing a light board upon the upper 
surface n full grown man may stand upon 
one. I hough a straw, falling perpendicu¬ 
larly upon the same leaf, from a height of 
of tivo feet, would penetrate the delicate 
surface. 
Tin wondrous beauty of the bloom mind 
PASADENA’S PROSPECTS. 
KniTOH Si'mi-Thomc: As ninny of your 
render* are already aware, J'usademi in one 
'of the moat thriving and promising sec¬ 
tion* of Southern California. Your corres¬ 
pondent recently visited some of the 
delightful or hards ami vineyardn of this 
i vnnng soltleiiii nt, mid will: ive his impres¬ 
sions of the place, thinking they may not 
he uninteresting to some of your readers in 
search of m-w hum. v Pasadena ia situ¬ 
ated ahoul seven miles from Lob Angeles, 
on elevated land, a short distance from 
I lie base uf the Sierra Mad re Range, and, 
during th" past six years, has made unpre- 
Fig. I.- Yiiuiig Plant, 
seen that travelers arc often compelled p, 
go hundreds of miles out of thpir course to 
see ii in its native hnhilnt. Hut it is Queen 
of the Aquatics, and when successfully <ml- 
tivntod yields a more than satisfacloi y re¬ 
sult. 
The first plant grown in the TTnited State* 
was produced at Springbroolc, near Phila¬ 
delphia, by Air. Oalub (Jnptf, iu 1851. 
Smco that time many attempts have been 
miidi, to grow it, hut without. soncMs. The 
only plant now in this couiitn i- in Ihr 
aler Lily House, at Golden Gate Park. 
Hi San Francisco. While in blonm Hovomi 
months ago. it was visited by tlmusandft of 
delighted flower lovers of IJm city. 
l ln Victoria Regie is a nalivn of SoufJi 
America, and was fatal M .„ u by a Spanish 
botanist, in 18(13. while on n canoe voyage 
"n a tributary of the - 
liar natural Lome i« 
equator, and 
try about sixteen hundred 
fourteen degrees on each side 
tor, ami from east to west a distaiii.* «if 
tig. I’. \ oong Plant «t til.) (luinpiotion N.sutid < y. It of Growth of Five Leaves. 
I ice li¬ 
the 
i.f 
he seen to he appreciated. Tt in from four¬ 
teen to twenty inches in diameter and eon- 
tain- sixty petals, arranged in distinct rows. 
II hist opens in the evening a little, when 
il is pure white and exquisitely fragrant 
lu tin morning it uguiii folds lip, ami un- 
MUf 4UlU 
ahuul thiny-ti ve degrc-is of longitude f lolll 
the Atlantic Ocean to tin, Andes, 
Pig. 1 shows the young plant with five 
2 shows U.e same-loaves in the w ’ *** 
■¥■ V ul growth. 
“ shows time forms of 
com!iljou bif..it 
lean h 
Fig 
ond st 
Fig 
then i 
fold-, again in the evening, when 
• h ep pink, or rich crimson; 
il is a 
ee,hu.l. d progress, both m settlement nm 
on tiv.ilton. The ride here from Los An 
gem* is by no means a disagreeable one a 
any time, uml when undertaken durim 
the vernal -eas.m m exi eedingly enjoy,, 1 . 1 ,' 
Ihe ro.nl winds in ami oilt of 'pieUiMmqiu 
caAijnsand live-oak groves. until the slop 
mg lulls and neat cottages of the settle 
men! ...e reached, The first inquiry o 
'.•m inis in naturally f„r a hotel, ami miti 
ire.-ntlv limy would have been dump 
P ,)U '' nro pleased to he able I, 
slate that Mr. Griswold lias fill, d fJic waul 
long felt, and at the Lake Vineyard Moomj 
w attentive to tbo wants of traVelers. 
bohoolm ino ctinicitrs, 
Tl.e Methodism and Preshy lariat,* have 
’ ' I"'.. and the prim ,- 
a pubhescboul build in;; j H highly ..ed- 
I l "omplah.d 
ml cost M.f. io, numt „f 
by private aulmeriptioi, t* )ol ll (1 n .o ... 
mge. and report,, that l„« pup.fs 
io/{ie,.air.g hm lra11,i|y. Tim vill,. 
I ns also ,, general m. reh.mdc . s to ,e »,n- 
•lucle.l by Mr. Williams; „ butcher hl.uk- 
Jinl 
leaves in 
1 unrolling. 
-..I'a',I At ! »“V’Vi:; 
"P BCMSOU fi.llUO ( All. 
. , .. iuiu ib u<>l|i lil.e lie. ..on .i 'l 11 * *' M, .g all j rtiwn on 
- wtit.fui.. fr „„, ... 
edll . o v ,' 1 ’ ,,,,,, '""h'llht 
1 t,, v l' n>VM ,l vuluoblu nnqulajtton. 
mmmm 
