House id Garden 
THE NYMPH/EA DENTATA 
lotus rather than anything else. Where 
aquatics are planted in ponds, lakes or orna¬ 
mental waters, it is absolutely necessary to 
protect the plants against the ravages of cat¬ 
tle, ducks and swans, if these intruders cannot 
naturally be kept out. A simple method of 
protection against the fowls is to place wire 
netting around the various clumps or groups 
of plants. It will not be necessary to have 
the netting above the surface of the water. 
The question arises, what varieties are 
best to plant ? This is difficult to answer, 
the field is so wide, the array of plants large 
and varied, and what will be proper in one 
section will not be adapted to another. Mas¬ 
sachusetts, the Eastern and Northern States 
are naturally well adapted for the cultivation 
of all hardy nymphaeas as well as nelumbi- 
ums, but it is sometimes difficult to establish 
the latter, and resort should be had to start¬ 
ing the tubers indoors and planting out in 
June. Tender nymphaeas should also be 
started indoors, and well started plants may 
be set out the first week in June. The 
day-flowering varieties should have prefer¬ 
ence over night-flowering varieties, the lat¬ 
ter requiring a higher temperature. Vic¬ 
torias should not be attempted without arti¬ 
ficial heat. In the Middle Atlantic States 
and southward the grower may more freely 
indulge his fancy in the selection of species. 
The hardy nymphaeas will commence to 
flower in April and will continue until hot 
summer weather sets in. The duration of 
the season for flowering varies, some species 
blooming much longer than others. As the 
hardy nymphaeas decline the nelumbiums 
commence to flower, usually the first of July 
in the vicinity of Philadelphia. Tender nym¬ 
phaeas may be planted out toward the end of 
May, and from July until the end of Octo¬ 
ber ; they give a wealth and profusion of 
bloom unequalled by any other class of flow¬ 
ers, defying drouth, revelling in the scorching 
sun and heat, ever refreshing and enjoyable. 
Victorias should also be included in this 
list. The farther south one goes, the shorter 
one finds the flowering season for hardy 
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