736 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
September 17. 1904 
Aquatics. 
This phase of horticulture is rapidly gaining ini popularity, 
for after on© hip commenced, it is usually found one of the 
most interesting branches of gardening. Many gardens are 
naturally adapted for it, having a pond or stream near, which 
might, be 'created into a, site of beauty with the introduction 
of water-loving plants ; or where these natural advantages do 
not .exist, a tank can be constructed by excavating a hole large 
enough, bricking in the bottom and sides and lining with 
cement. 
The magnificence of the Marline Lilies will doubtless lead 
many people of aesthetic taste tloj direct their attention to 
numberless nob lei flowers and fine foliage plants for the water¬ 
side, for without these adjuncts even the charm of the Water- 
Lilies would 'be lessened. A companion to the Nymphaeas 
is found in, the Cape Pond Weed (Aponogeton. distachyon), for 
though not possessing the brilliancy of the former, it, has many 
commendable qualities. The, Cape Pond Weed will grow in 
any depth of water from 8 inches to 2 feet, and produces 
flowers in quantity until the frost® appear; the flowers are 
waxy white with black anthers, and very fragrant. The plant 
usually increases abundantly by self-sown seed, or, if desired, 
the seed can he gathered and sown in, pans, placed under water. 
In warm weather germination take® place in a, few days. 
Where the water is about 6 in. to 8 in. deep, such plants .a,s 
Pontederia, oordata., with its blue flower®, and Orontium aqua r 
ticum, having yellow flowers, should find a, home. When 
planting, it; is best to plaice -some lean or -sweet soil around thei 
roots, so as to- give the plants a. good start. It is seldom 
one comes across Thalia dealba;ta, but planted a, foot or more 
under water it generally proves hardy. It, is a native of 
Carolina, and has large oviajte leave® covered with a white 
powder, while tall stems raise the purple flowers above the 
foliage. In appearance it is almost sub-tropical. Where 
space is at command, the bold Canadian, Rice Grass should 
be included, for planted in, a mass it has quite a majestic 
appearance, reaching 6 ft. to 8 ft. in height, the graceful 
panicles bowing to every breeze. The seeds or fruits arei eaten 
by the North Am erican Indians. As it is only an annual, 
seed should he gathered yearly, and stored in, bottles to retain 
their vitality ; in, spring they can, bei sown, in small pots; placed 
under water in a frame, and planted out when large enough. 
The shallows of the waterside might be furnished with the 
Arrowheads. Sagittaria, japonicai and S. japonica fl. pi. stand 
out conspicuously. The massive 'spike® of the latter will 
form a, pleasing combination with a stretch of the lovely blue 
Water Forget-meKnot (Myosotis palustris), while the. Flowering 
Rush (Butomusi umbellatus) can be placed near by, so a® to 
throw up i its dainty pink umbels. Some distance away the 
bright golden. Ranunculus Lingua can -be planted at about the 
same depth; this sometimes grows so freely that it, has to be 
curbed in this respect,, but if space can- be allowed for a, good 
stretch, a fine sight is produced when in flower. Calla, 
palustris ought not to be omitted, for when at home in a 
muddy hank near the edge of the waiter the 'small Arum-like 
flowers are decidedly pretty. 
Where a still pool or quiet corner of the pond is available, 
several of the floating aquatics are worth growing. Among 
these are two of the most interesting and curious of the 
British plants, namely, Utricularia vulgaris, 'the Bladderwort, 
and Hydroeharis Morsus - Ranaei, thei Frogbit. The former, 
with its bladder-like traps for small insects and minute fish, 
usually appeals to most people’s curiosity. A good plan to 
retain these plants where they can be seen is to have a small 
piece walled in, or separated in some way, a,s they are liable 
to be washed away, and sometimes difficult to find when re¬ 
quired. Both these small plaints havei the same characteristic 
■of protecting themselves on the approach of winter. The 
Frog Bit curls itself up to form a, bud, while the ends of the 
shoots of 'the Bladderwort, -each form a, bud about the size of 
a pea. These both sink down to the bottom of the water 
and remain there dormant until the spring returns. The 
Water Soldier (Stratiotes aloides), with sword - shaped leaves, 
can take care of itself, and increases abundantly by offsets, it 
somewhat resembles a small Aloe floating on 'the surface’ of 
the water, and sends long thong-like roots down into the mud. 
For the banksi of streams or sides of the ponds we have a 
vast array of plants from which to choose, either for beautv 
of flower or fine foliage, but naturally one must be guided in 
their choice by the -extent of the site, otherwise the beauty 
of fin© plants may be marred by overcrowding, or lost alto¬ 
gether by being overgrown. Among the foliage plants might 
bei mentioned the Gunneras, Rheums', Saxifraga peltate, and 
several of the Grass family; while to colour his landscape, the 
planter has pome of the choicest and -most beautiful of lmrdv 
plants. C. F. B. 
Definition of Colours of Flowers. 
Horticulturists and horticultural journalists, accustomed 
to dealing with problems of great difficulty, are,’ generally 
speaking, particular to a, point of fastidiousness that- absolute 
accuracy shall characterise their every statement in connection 
with the study of plant®. 
If there be an exception to this rule—a® d® frequently 
asserted to be the -case, without exception, in every rule—it. 
is surely to be found in the definition of colours ascribed to 
flowers. At all events, critics of horticultural literature need 
not be very keen in order to detect flaws hereabout®. 
Granting r eadily that among flowers we are confronted with 
shades and combinations of colour in bewildering variety, we 
still believe that, given the same amount of care and thought 
a® is-bestowed on many other problems that, we tackle, 0 it. 
would be possible so to define the colours of flowers as to convey 
to thei mindsi of others an infinitely clearer and more correct, 
idea of what the flowers' are really like in this respect. The 
veiy first step, and -the least that could be don© in this direc¬ 
tion, is tioi carefully avoid -the jumbling of contradictory terms 
frequently used, and from which nothing can 'be learned. 
In ,an otherw.se instructive article on a new plant, a, writer 
recently described the colour of its flowers as “ vivid pale 
crimson.” Now, vivid means intense or bright, and is there¬ 
fore 'the reverse of pale; -beside®, crimson is one of the richest 
and fullest colours. How, them, can we speak of “ pale crimson ?” 
In -the catalogue of a, well-known firm a certain flower is 
spoken of a® “ brilliant orange scarlet of a, soft lake shade,” 
and in, another I have seem the irritating expression “ pale 
white. ’ No worse than that is the way in, which thei old and 
enthusiastic florist under whom I served the first few years of 
my horticultural career used to speak of the colour of a Salvia, 
which, if possible, was a purer blue than, S: patens. “ There’s 
not another flower im existence of such an invisible blue,” he 
was wont to say, and although I failed to remember the name 
of that particular variety, I have always remembered the 
“ invisible blue.” 
One comfort we have: Gardeners are not alone in their 
errors, for the naturalist who spoke of a, moth as 'being “ dull 
pale- greyish carmine ” can shake hands all round, a,s also the 
ornithologist, whoi ,sa,w ia, bird “ light grey tinted black.” Never¬ 
theless a closer study of colour and greater care in, the use of 
descriptive terms is highly desirable, and 1 will be another step 
forward. 
It, would surely be well for the R.H.S. to impose tests in 
definition of colours upon the candidates for their annual 
'examinations 1 , and, indeed, there would be much interest and 
help to 'be derived from competition® conducted by the Mutual 
Improvement and other societies of gardeners, throughout the 
kingdom. 
Heather Reel. 
The Fruit, Floral, and Orchid Committees will meet at noon 
as usual, and the National Dahlia Society’s- Committee will meet 
at 11.30 for the purpose of awarding certificates to new seedling 
Dahlias, entries of which must be made to the hon. secretary. 
National Dahlia Society, Royal Horticultural Hall, Vincent 
Square, Westminster. 
