June 25, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
621 
devoted to it. There have I witnessed its singularly beautiful 
fragrant flowers by hundreds floating amidst its abundant foliage. It 
needs no skill to bring it to the perfection there attained, for the secret 
of success appears to be with the water itself, which seldom freezes 
in the most severe weather, the supply coming from an Artesian 
spring near by—a valuable adjunct in such cases. This plant is suited 
for deep or shallow water, and may also be grown in pots in the 
ordinary way, provided they are stood in pans of water. It is tuberous- 
rooted, and by being washed free of soil and wrapped in damp moss 
may be sent safely by post any day in the year, and where it grows 
abundantly it will make a most fitting and useful plant to offer in 
exchange. 
There is also a minor form of this plant less frequently met with, 
also one known as A. spathaceum junceum ; the latter, however, is 
not quite hardy in some waters. Before passing from the Aponoge- 
tons I may observe that while they are suited to large or small 
aquariums, either in the greenhouse, conservatory, or open air, they 
should not be placed in small tanks where dipping is constantly 
carried on, as this is sure to cause serious injury. 
ORONTIUM AQUATICUM. 
The Golden Club is a scarce though handsome plant, suited fo r 
shallow water, but may be fully immersed when severe frost is ex - 
pected. The fact of this plant being so rarely met with may be 
accounted for in a measure by its somewhat slow growth, and it is by no 
means one of the easiest to increase by division ; at least, such is my 
experience of it. It came into our gardens a century ago from North 
America, and as it is still only occasionally seen it is quite possible 
that it never reached our shores in quantity, or that the majority 
of the earlier importations were lost. One other point I have 
noticed respecting it is that it does not produce seeds nearly so freely 
as many other members of Aroideie, to which it belongs, and this also 
may contribute to its scarceness. 
NYMPH2EA ALBA. 
For producing a bold striking effect in groups here and there > 
nothing can compare with Nymphsea alba, “ the queen of Water 
Lilies/’ so well suited for deep waters ; it is a true Britisher, and one 
which we may well be proud of. It is so well known as to stand in 
little need of either description or recommendation ; suffice to say 
that nothing can adorn the surface of the lake as does this most hand¬ 
some and noble plant. It is amongst the good and cheap plants, too, 
and, what is more, may be collected in many parts. It may be well 
to call the attention of those who may be planting it for the first time 
to the following simple method of immersing the plants, and for this 
purpose a round basket or sieve is well suited. Fill with good stiff 
loam, to which may be added a little manure, fix the long fleshy 
rhizomes securely in the centre, and then place some stones on the 
surface of the soil ; this will prevent their shifting, otherwise they 
are liable to float and so become troublesome. AVhen lowering them 
to their respective positions allow the whole body of soil to become 
saturated, and then gradually lower them. It is most effective when 
seen in large groups ; still, it should never be allowed to occupy too 
much space to the impediment of waterfowl or boating, either of 
which will soon mar their beauty. 
N. candidissima is perhaps the finest Nymphsea extant, and is still 
rare ; so rare, indeed, that its flowers have been seen by compara¬ 
tively few. I have never seen it in finer condition than in the 
Botanic Gardens of Oxford, where it is annually in grand condition. 
It occupies a large circular tank situate in one of the main walks in 
these gardens, and at the time of which I speak there were numbers 
of flowers of enormous size and of the purest white. The collection 
of aquatics in these gardens is one of the finest (if not the finest) 
extant, and it is worthy of remark that one and all seem to be 
possessed of exceptional vigour. 
MENYANTHES TRIFOLIATA. 
The Buckbean, though by no means rare, is extremely beautiful 
and chaste in appearance, and very interesting to behold. It should 
not be overlooked, for it deserves a place even among choice plants. 
It is abundant in many parts ; and being so, it is surprising that it is 
not more generally employed. The elegance of its flowers will vie 
with the rarest and choicest plants. Tne flowers are white and 
beautifully fringed on the inside with white filaments, the exterior 
being flushed with deep pink. It is adapted for shallow water, the 
margin of a stream, or for marshy ground. It may be readily 
forced, in which state its flowers are pure white and elegant in the 
extreme. 
BUrOMUS UMBELLATUS. 
Who has seen and yet failed to admire the Flowering Rush ? It 
is a charming and conspicuous plant, delighting in the rich mud and 
decayed vegetable matter usually found on the margins of lakes and 
ponds. It is a native of Britain, and found abundantly in many parts 
of Europe. 
CALTHAS. 
The Marsh Marigolds, which are more inclined to be sub-aquatic, 
must not be omitted. In marshy land or moist meadows C. palustris just 
now is among the most showy of British plants, remarkable alike for 
its richness of colour and profuse flowering ; and among the double- 
flowered forms we have C. palustris fl -pi. and C. palustris minor 
fl.-pl., which has the richest coloured flowers ; and, lastly, C. 
palustris monstrosa fl.-pl, which, while fully bearing out its varietal 
name, is not so good inform as the two previously named. They 
delight in full sunshine with plenty of moisture beneath them. 
SAGITT ARIAS. 
The next genus to which I shall briefly refer is the Sagittarias or 
Arrowhead, which includes one of the finest of flowering aquatics— 
i.e., Sagittaria sagittsefolia fl.-pl., its massive spike of flowers 
reminding one of a double Stock, or, better still, a fine double 
white spike of Lychnis viscaria, though so far as the size of 
the individual flowers are concerned we cannot draw a closer com¬ 
parison than the flowers of a double white Balsam. It is, indeed, a 
handsome plant, does well in pots placed in pans of water, and thus 
grown it can be removed to the cool conservatory at flowering time. 
It should have liberal treatment and receive every encouragement. It 
may be increased by division, though I do not advise this being done 
too ofteD, for a few good-sized specimens will give greater satisfac¬ 
tion in such cases than do greater numbers of smaller plants. 
Villarsia nymphaeoides forms pleasing groups of small Nymphaea- 
like leaves and a proportionate number of bright golden yellow 
flowers, which produce a telling effect on bright sunny days. 
Thalia dealbata is a most distinct plant, not generally considered 
hardy. It should be immersed in sharp weather. 
Pontederia cordata, or the Pickerel Weed, is of bold erect habit, 
producing spikes of blue flowers. This is suited to shallow waters. 
Then if we glance for a moment at some of the smaller kinds we 
find two beautiful examples in the Water Violet, Hottonia palustris, 
and the little white Ranunculus aquatilis. These are both native 
plants, the last-named forming quite sheets of its snowy white 
flowers. Among the quaint we have the Water Soldier, Stratiotes 
aloides, which may be cast into the water without soil, and will take 
care of itself ; indeed, it does better this way than any other. My 
first experience with this some years ago taught me the lesson I have 
not forgotten. A large quantity was potted in the ordinary way. 
These all succumbed with the exception of a few, which released 
themselves from the soil and floated on the surface, where they were 
evidently at home. I potted no more, but have since allowed it to 
roam. — E. Jenkins. 
WATERING VEGETABLES. 
The time has now arrived when this demands attention. In 
deep cool soils many crops may be grown throughout the whole 
season without any artificial watering, but where the soil is light, 
poor, or shallow, some of the most important crops will never 
prove satisfactory unless they are frequently drenched in hot- 
dry weather. Labour may be saved by not trenching in winter, 
but the expenditure will go out in another way, and watering 
will become considerable if it is done properly and the plants 
receive as much as they ought to. Where pipes are laid all over 
the garden and hose can be attached to convenient taps, all crops 
may be readily watered, but where the water has to be carried 
from a distance in pans or buckets many vegetables often go 
without any which would otherwise be soaked. Few, for instance, 
would think of watering a large Carrot or Onion bed if all the 
water had to be carried to them, and yet if this could be done it 
would save many crops from being dried injuriously or attacked 
by the grubs. 
Peas pay for watering as much as any crop. When dry at 
the root they never fill the pods well, and the peas become hard, 
dry, and flavourless before they have ever attained perfection. 
The plan of growing summer Peas in trenches is a capital one. 
The soil must be loosened well down before the trench can be 
made, and when watering has to be done it is a simple matter to 
fill the trench with it. It has no means of running away and 
not reaching the roots, which is often the case on the level. 
Kidney Beans of all sorts should be thoroughly watered in dry 
weather. Cauliflowers should never be allowed to droop their 
leaves for want of it. Lettuces will take any quantity if they 
are to be cut large and crisp. Ridge Cucumbers, Vegetable 
Marrows, and Tomatoes enjoy abundance of water, and generally 
speaking dryness at the roots is a great drawback to all kitchen 
garden produce. 
Some plants may be small and far from maturing their crops, 
and by this it may be thought they do not require water, or that 
the absence of it will do them no harm at such an early stage of 
their growth, but this idea is wrong. If the plants are insuffi 
