HOW TO GROW WATER LILIES 
Star Lilies 
BE SURE AND READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY 
Page 4 
Leaf Propagating 
Water Lilies 
Page 5 
Supplies 
Page 6 
Noteworthy Plants 
Page 7 
Water Lilies 
Hardy Varieties 
Pages 8-9-10-11 
Small Pool Collection 
Page 12 
Sacred Lotus 
Pages 13 and 21 
Water Lilies 
Night Blooming 
Page 14 
Seeds of Water Lilies 
Page 14 
Bargain Collections 
Page 15 
Tropical Water Lilies 
Two Year Old Plants 
Pages 16-17-18 
Shallow Water and 
Bog Plants 
Pages 19-20-21 
CACTUS 
and 
SUCCULENTS 
I have the largest 
collection of these 
strange and popular 
house plants. 
Pages 22 to 32 
D ID you know that Water Lilies succeed almost 
equally well in every state in the Union? 
Few garden plants thrive East or West, North 
or South in every type of soil or climate as do 
these gorgeous blossoms that everyone may easily 
grow in their pool. 
Water Lilies are so easily grown, even by those 
who have had no previous experience, 
that following these simple directions 
will make your pool a most interesting 
part of your garden. In fact, Water 
Lilies are easier to grow than the com¬ 
moner garden plants. The actual care 
of the pool may be stated in a single 
line. (Keep the water level fairly con¬ 
stant and the pool clean.) It is not 
necessary to drain the pool at all dur¬ 
ing the growing season, simply adding 
water to replace evaporation. 
New Pools. The most important thing 
is to have the pool about 24 inches 
deep. This will allow for one foot of water and one 
foot of soil, giving the best average results. How¬ 
ever, the plants will thrive luxuriantly where the 
water is only 6 inches deep or up to 24 inches. 
Soil. Any garden loam is all right. They par¬ 
ticularly enjoy a heavy loam such as roses thrive 
in. Do not use leaf mold, swamp muck or sand. 
Fertilizers. Cow manure is good. Use one shovel¬ 
ful to four of soil. Commercial fertilizers or sheep 
manure are particularly recommended. Their use 
will insure a thrifty, luxuriant growth. Use one 
pint to each bushel and a half of soil. Mix all 
fertilizer well with the soil. 
Boxes. We recommend the use of boxes. They 
should be at least 15 inches square and 12 inches 
deep. Boxes 18 to 24 inches square give better 
flowers. Make them of pine wood and they will 
last 20 years. Remember, the larger the box the 
more and finer the flowers. 
Winter Care of the Tub Garden. Empty the 
water out, then fill the tub full of leaves or straw, 
covering the tub closely with boards to keep out 
the rain. Cover all over thoroughly with litter for 
further protection. 
Winter Care of Goldfish. Common goldfish are 
hardy in natural pools or where the pool is cov¬ 
ered. Be sure and break the ice frequently to keep 
the water fresh. It is best in small pools to remove 
fish to basement, keeping them in tubs. 
Pests. Plant lice or aphis which sometimes attack 
the leaves should be immediately hosed off, when 
the fish will eat them. Mosquitos are always kept 
completely in check by goldfish or any other fish. 
(There will be no mosquitos where there are 
goldfish.) 
How Far Apart? A pool 4 by 6 feet will accom¬ 
modate three or four Lilies as well as Water Pop¬ 
pies, Water Hawthorne, Arrowheads, Water Hya¬ 
cinths or equivalent plants. A pool 10 feet in diam¬ 
eter will accommodate six to ten Lilies and also a 
number of other aquatic plants. 
Planting. It is well to fill the pool before plant¬ 
ing. After planting, the boxes or pails may be 
easily set in the water. If the boxes are too large 
to move it is easy to set the plants beneath the 
water. In planting simply scoop a small hole out 
and plant the roots horizontally and not upright, 
with the growing end just flush with the surface. 
It is not necessary to cover the box with gravel 
unless there are large goldfish present. Large gold¬ 
fish are a nuisance as they eat the roots of Lilies 
and keep the water riled and dirty. 
Tropical Water Lilies. These should 
be planted upright as they are shipped 
as growing, potted plants. Just cover 
the ball with soil. Do not allow the 
leaves to wither or the plant will be 
severely checked. Fill pool before 
planting. 
When to Plant. Hardy Water Lilies 
may be planted from February on in 
the Southern and Pacific Coast States. 
In the Middle West and East, April is 
early enough. In the Northern States 
April 15th gives plenty of time. Plant¬ 
ing may be continued throughout the 
late spring and summer with great success. In 
mild climates Hardy Lilies may be planted almost 
the year around. Tropical Lilies should not be 
planted until the weather is settled and warm with 
an average temperature of 70°. May in warm 
regions and late May or early June farther north. 
Winter Care. Hardy Lilies grow wild in cold 
northern regions and need no protection other than 
from direct freezing of the roots. Where the water 
is deep enough not to freeze below the roots they 
will come through unharmed. Since dry rot is the 
worst enemy of stored plants in the winter it is 
best to leave them in the pool under natural con¬ 
ditions. Cover the pool well with boards then 
apply a thick covering of leaves or straw and the 
water will not freeze deeply or crack the cement. 
This is the ideal way to winter hardy aquatics and 
goldfish. If the pool must be drained the Lilies 
should be removed to a cold cellar or placed in 
a deep trench and well covered, keeping moist at 
all times. Tropical Lilies are hardy only where 
oranges may be grown. 
Lotus. These are shipped as dormant tubers. 
When received they look like bananas strung end 
to end. In unpacking them be careful not to break 
them. Plant them horizontally or flat (never put 
them in upright) covering them with one or two 
inches of soil. The box in which they are planted 
should be sunk so there is 5 or 6 inches of water 
over the top. When they become established they 
may be lowered if necessary into water a foot 
deep. Use a rich heavy soil for best results. They 
should not be planted too early in the season if 
the weather is cold. 
MAY I HELP YOU? 
1 have tried hard to answer every ordinary ques¬ 
tion concerning our plants but am always glad to 
help with information on any points not clear. 
Before writing read this catalog over carefully and 
most questions will be found to have been answered 
at some length. Please feel free to write me and 
I will do my best to advise you. 
SOME EASY WAYS TO BUILD POOLS 
T HE IRREGULAR POOL. First mark on the ground the exact 
shape of the pool, then excavate to a depth of 30 inches. 
The walls cannot be straight up and down but should be 
about 45° for the cement to stick on. The floor should be flat, not 
bowl-shaped or it will be hard to place boxes without tipping. 
Smooth the floor and walls and wet down thoroughly. Reinforcing 
is desirable for permanent pools, but not absolutely necessary. Use 
heavy wire fencing, laying it on the ground and lapping the edges. 
As the concrete is poured pull the fencing up toward the middle. 
Tamp the concrete thoroughly and smooth off with the back of 
your shovel. After the concrete has set a day it should be water¬ 
proofed by painting it with pure cement mixed with water to the 
consistency of thin cream. Where heavy freezing is expected a 
wall 6" thick is recommended but the floor may be much less— 
two or three inches. 
A Water Proof Clay Pool. A pool in clay soil may be made by 
excavating to 24 inches and tamping and puddling the floor and 
walls thoroughly. These make inexpensive and perfectly satisfac¬ 
tory pools. Add a layer of rich soil 8" to 12" deep for the Lilies 
to grow in. 
POOL 
BUILDING 
WAMT JOMNSO* 
MY LITTLE BOOK ON POOLS 
If you have not built your pool this little book¬ 
let will be of great help to you. Many pools that 
have been built by our customers are illustrated, 
which will give you a general idea of the various 
types. Detail drawings showing how a pool is 
built as well as instructions on how to mix the 
concrete, finish the surface, put in drainage pipes 
and other useful data are included. 1 
BOOKLET SENT FOR 1UC 
MIXING CONCRETE 
A simple and satisfactory concrete mixture for pools is 1 shovelful of 
cement, 2 of sand, 3 of pea gravel. Mix it together thoroughly 2 or 3 times 
while dry, then mix thoroughly while turning over with water to a pasty 
mixture that will spread easily. Always tamp concrete well so there will 
be no porous spots to leak. 
2 
Copyright 1936 by Harry Johnson. 
