476 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
November  18,  1897. 
openings  in  other  directions.  Onions,  for  instance,  for  which  a  good 
demand  always  obtains,  are  largely  imported,  although  it  is  but  fair  to 
add  that  both  soil  and  climate  are  not  generally  the  best  suited  for  their 
culture.  One  thing  is  worthy  of  remark — viz.,  those  whose  smartness 
results  in  having  good  bi-eadths  of  an  early  Cabbage,  such  as  Ellam’s, 
in  cutting  condition  during  April,  reap  their  reward  in  a  brisk  demand 
for  it. 
Potatoes  are  an  exception  to  the  low  prices  ruling  in  other  com¬ 
modities,  and  this  in  spite  of  many  growers  sending  direct  for  sale  instead 
of  holding  over  ;  £4  per  ton  is  the  present  price  for  average  samples  of 
Beauty  of  Bute  and  Sutton’s  Maincrop.  There  is  no  doubt  that  August 
and  September  were  disastrous  to  the  Potato  crop  of  Ireland,  and  even 
here,  where  the  worst  effects  were  not  felt,  one  is  daily  reminded  that  the 
indispensable  esculent  is  decidedly  inferior  in  quality.  With  cattle  food 
still  in  abundance,  it  might  be  reasonably  expected  that  glutted  markets 
in  this  direction  would  not  prevail  However,  many  of  the  annual 
grazing  tenancies  expire  at  this  period,  ]irobably  accounting  for  much  in 
this  direction  ;  and  it  is  said,  with  what  degree  of  accuracy  I  know  not, 
that  the  engineers’  strike  is  indirectly  concerned  in  it.  However  that 
may  be,  this  must  be  regarded  as  one  of  our  principal  exports. 
One  question  has  more  than  once  been  asked,  How  it  is  that  the 
artisan  in  Liverpool  (or  other  large  English  industrial  centre)  can  procure 
the  best  we  can  produce  in  the  way  of  beef,  or  catch  in  the  way  of  fish,  at 
a  distinct  advantage  over  his  brother  in  Dublin  1  It  is  a  question  one 
would  have  to  go  beneath  the  surface  of  things  for  an  answer,  and  it  is 
not,  perhapi,  expedient  to  say  more  on  which  a  little  strong  feeling 
exists.  We  are  told  upon  the  one  hand  that  Ireland  is  purely  an  agri¬ 
cultural  country,  and  on  another  that  it  is  pre-eminently  one  of  dairy 
production,^  which  is,  of  course,  but  a  phase  of  the  former.  As  a  gentle¬ 
man  once  remarked,  “  If  it  is  not  this  it  is  nothing.”  His  Irish  home  is, 
I  find,  now  supplied  with  cream  in  jars  bearing  the  brand  of  the  West 
Surrey  Central  Dairy.  He,  as  a  consumer,  says  it  is  cheaper  and  better 
than  the  native  article,  which,  if  not  patriotic,  is  undoubtedly  practical ; 
a  spirit  which  has  not  only  emigrated  to  this  side  the  Channel,  but  in  all 
probability  has  come  to  stay.— K.,  Dublin. 
HARDY  AQUATICS. 
The  cultivation  of  aquatic  flowers  is  attended  by  many  pleasures. 
In  hot  summer  weather  the  very  appearance  of  water  is  grateful.  A  small 
pool  or  aquarium  well  furnished  with  Water  Lilies  and  other  plants  is  a 
pleasant  resort,  and  the  gentle  rippling  of  the  water  is  cool  and  refreshing 
to  the  senses.  In  many  gardens  large  or  small  lakes  exist,  the  shallow 
waters  of  which  afford  ample  space  for  a  collection  of  aquatics  ;  but  in 
very  small  gardens  the  most  that  can  be  attempted  is  a  small  aquarium, 
unless  a  streamlet  pass  through,  when  a  pool  may  be  formed  at  some 
selected  portion  of  its  course,  which  the  waters  of  the  brook  will  furnish 
before  passing  on  their  way.  Let  us  suppose,  however,  that  no  such 
streamlet  exists,  as  it  probably  does  not,  and  that  it  is  desired  to  form  a 
small  aquarium.  An  excavation  from  1  foot  deep  at  the  edges  to  3  feet 
in  the  centre  should  be  made.  Inlet  and  outlet  pipes  should  be  provided 
to  replenish  the  water  or  draw  it  off  as  may  be  required. 
A  stone  basin  is  a  good  substitute  for  a  clay-puddled  aquarium,  but 
by  no  means  equal  to  it,  for  the  plants  derive  nourishment  from  the  clay, 
which  they  can  never  do  from  stone  ;  besides,  the  stone  basin  is  much 
more  expensive  than  a  puddled  one.  The  basin  maybe  formed  of  cement, 
which  may  be  done  by  firmly  ramming  the  bottom  after  it  has  been  dug 
to  the  required  width  and  depth.  It  cannot  be  rammed  too  hard,  and 
then  place  a  layer  of  lime-riddlings  on  the  bottom  and  ram  it  as  hard  as 
the  soil ;  on  this  spread  with  a  trowel  a  layer  of  mortar  an  inch  thick, 
formed  of  equal  parts  lime  and  finely  sifted  ashes — the  dust  that  passes 
through  the  riddle.  This  should  be  allowed  to  dry,  and  if  it  has  been 
well  wrought  and  put  on  quickly  it  will  not  crack.  On  this  again  a  coat 
of  Roman  cement  is  laid  an  inch  thick,  which  is  formed  of  cement  one- 
half,  plaster  of  Paris  a  quarter,  lime  finely  sifted  a  quarter,  wnth  sufficient 
water  to  make  it  of  the  consistency  of  mortar.  A  cheaper  way  is  to  use 
equal  parts  of  finely  powdered  lime  and  calcined  marl  ;  or  Portland 
cement,  with  a  little  sand  added,  either  of  which  will  set  as  hard  as  a 
stone,  and  be  impervious  to  water  ;  but  they  should  be  laid  on  quickly, 
or  they  are  apt  to  crack  at  the  joinings.  Soil  6  inches  thick  will  he 
necessary  at  the  bottom  of  stone  or  cemented  basins  for  the  aquatics  to 
grow  in.  All  ponds  or  lakes  are  formed  in  the  manner  before  named, 
the  only  difference  being  in  the  size.  A  lake  is  simply  nothing  more  than 
a  basin  on  an  extensive  scale  ;  but  I  will  pass  over  the  improvement  of 
streams,  lakes,  and  irregular  pools  of  water  for  the  present,  and  confine 
myself  to  the  culture  of  aquatics. 
ProDably  there  is  nothing  so  simple  in  the  whole  range  of  ornamental 
flower  gardening  as  the  cultivation  of  water  plants,  there  being  but  tw-o 
main  points  to  attend  to.  These  are  providing  a  portion  of  soil  for  the 
roots  to  grow  in,  and  planting  or  placing  them  at  such  a  depth  below  the 
surface  of  the  water  as  their  size  and  habits  require.  Their  peculiar 
natural  habits  should  also  be  imitated.  Those  with  floating  leaves,  as 
Nymphmas,  Nuphars,  and  Villarsias,  grow  naturally  in  the  deepest  parts, 
while  such  plants  as  Caltha  grow  on  the  margin  or  in  shallow  water. 
The  smaller  kinds  require  to  be  but  just  within  the  water  ;  whilst  some 
do  best  when  planted  on  the  edge,  but  still  with  the  roots  in  close 
proximity  to  water,  of  which  Myosotis  affords  examples.  Some,  nay  the 
greater  part,  of  the  taller-growing  kinds  require  to  be  planted  near  the 
edge  in  shallow  water,  as,  for  instance,  the  upright-growing  Grasses  and 
Reeds. 
In  planting  it  is  better  to^distribute  them  in  groups  than  as  single 
plants  at  regular  distances.  Even  groups  should  not  be  regularly 
distributed,  but  disposed  with  irregularity  in  threes,  or  a  dozen  together, 
according  to  the  extent  of  the  water.  They  will  thus  look  all  the  better. 
It  will  not  look  well  to  have  all  the  tall-growing  in  one  part,  and  the  small 
in  another  ;  but  the  contrary.  The  smaller  kinds  will  look  better  where 
the  bank  is  broken  by  shrubs ;  and  the  taller  kinds  may  be  made  to 
distinguish  themselves  between  the  shrubs  on  laud  and  the  water  plants 
by  placing  them  where  the  bank  is  unclothed.  As  a  rule  tall-growing 
kinds  ought  not  to  be  planted  where  the  bank  is  a  dense  mass  of  foliage, 
or  the  outline  of  the  water  will  be  destroyed  ;  nor  the  smaller  kinds 
where  they  cannot  be  seen  and  examined.  Where,  however,  the  bank 
projects  and  is  clothed  with  trees  or  shrubs,  advantage  should  be  taken 
to  plant  a  group  of  the  taller  kinds  in  as  great  a  number  and  as  much 
variety  of  foliage  as  may  be  consistent  with  the  plants  on  land.  The 
inlets  should  be  planted  with  the  lesser  kinds,  those  that  appear  much 
above  water  being  excluded,  except  one  here  and  there  to  fix  or  attract 
the  eye,  or  the  smaller  ones  might  remain  unnoticed. 
Plants  with  floating  leaves  as  a  rule  ought  to  occupy  the  deepest  parts 
of  the  water,  and  as  they  are  much  less  numerous  than  those  growing 
in  shallow  wmter,  groups  of  one  species  where  the  water  is  extensive,  or 
of  one  genus  when  it  is  small,  should  he  planted  in  one  ])lace.  Even  then 
they  should  not  occupy  the  whole  of  the  mid-water,  but  w'ith  a  broad 
channel  between  and  distant  from  group  to  group  they  would  appear  as 
verdant  floating  islands,  which,  when  arrayed  in  their  summer  dress, 
with  their  gorgeous  white  and  golden  'flowers  peeping  from  the  watery 
surface,  will  be  highly  picturesque.  If  the  plants  be  artistically  dis])Osed 
a  lake  will  have  much  the  appearance  of  an  old-fashioned  flower  garden, 
the  tall-growing  aquatics  in  groups  being  the  shrubs,  tbe  large  species 
the  single  specimen  shi’ubs,  whilst  the  floating  species  will  represent  the 
gorgeous  masses  of  one  colour  or  beds,  water  taking  the  place  of  the 
lawn. 
Where  basins  or  small  pools  already  exist  that  have  no  steps  or 
terraces  to  accommodate  plants  which  require  to  be  placed  at  different 
depths,  half-inch  iron  rods,  with  a  loop  at  one  end  so  as  to  hold  a  flower 
pot,  bent  so  as  to  be  the  required  depth  below  the  surface  of  the  water,  and 
fixed  firmly  in  the  bank,  will  do  much  towards  growing  a  greater  variety 
of  plants,  and  if  the  iron  be  galvanised  the  rods  will  last  a  long  time. 
A  goodly  amount  of  soil,  mud  rather,  being  all  we  want  for  these  plants, 
I  have  only  to  consider  how  it  is  to  be  given.  For  large  pools  it  is  best 
given  at  the  bottom  of  the  water,  whilst  for  basins  and  small  pools  the 
plants  had  better  be  in  pots,  except  such  as  have  floating  leaves, 
which  must  have  at  least  G  inches  of  soil  to  grow  in.  Kymphasas  may 
even  be  grown  in  pots,  but  not  so  well  as  when  planted  out. 
Stiff  loam  alone  is  suitable  for  all  the  floating  species  and  tall-grow¬ 
ing  kinds  ;  but  the  others  require  vegetable  earth,  peat,  leaf  mould,  or 
bog  soil  one-fourth,  strong  loam  half,  and  coarse  gravel  one-fourth  ; 
6  inches  is  not  too  much  for  the  taller  species  to  grow  in,  but  3  inches 
will  do  for  the  smaller  kinds.  In  assigning  the  plants  their  places  in 
basins  of  water,  regard  should  be  had  to  effect,  unless  a  collection  be 
wished  for,  when,  of  course,  effect  is  not  the  object  aimed  at ;  but  the 
depth  each  species  requires  to  be  in  the  water  must  be  borne  in  mind  at 
the  time  of  planting. 
Aquatics  are  best  planted  in  tbe  spring,  for  then  they  have  a  good 
opportunity  to  establish  themselves  during  summer.  The  best  mode 
of  planting  is  to  fasten  a  ball  of  strong  loam  round  their  roots  and 
drop  them  gently  into  the  water  at  the  desired  place.  Should  the  loam 
be  of  a  friable  nature,  a  large  or  small  stone,  in  proportion  to  the  size  of 
the  plant,  must  be  fastened  to  the  root  in  addition  to  the  soil,  or  the  plant 
will  rise  owing  to  the, soil  falling  in  the  water.  Those  which  require 
to  be  planted  on  the  margin  can  easily  be  placed  in  the  mud  with  the 
hand. 
"With  regard  to  the  plants  that  are  to  occupy  the  aquarium,  it  rests 
entirely  with  taste  to  say  whether  it  shall  be  planted  with  those  that  have 
white  or  yellow  flowers  only,  or  with  such  as  afford  a  variety  of  colour. 
It  may  be  white  with  Nyinphrea  alba,  or  yellow  wdth  Nupbar  lutea,  or 
many  colours  by  selecting  from  the  list  of  aquatics  to  follow.  In  any 
way  it  should  be  planted  in  accordance  with  the  laws  of  harmony  and 
contrast.  The  white  Water  Lily  is  second  to  no  aquatic  for  forming  a 
^ood  centre  of  white  ;  but  the  plants  in  the  beds  around  should  have 
(lowers  of  a  different  colour,  so  with  yellow,  and  so  on.  If  the  basin  be 
planted  with  one  species  only  it  is  not  necessary  to  form  it  into  terraces  ; 
but  it  should  be  pretty  nearly  of  a  regular  depth  throughout,  as  much  as 
■ircumstances  will  allow.  Three  feet  is  deep  enough  for  either  of  the 
iforesaid  Lilies,  and  1  foot  6  inches  quite  shallow  enough.  Neither  of 
them  appear  above  water,  but  their  leaves  float  on  the  surface,  still 
having  one  of  the  florists’  highest  recommendations — “  the  flower  is 
borne  well  up  above  the  foliage.”  .  I  certainly  should  plant  but  one 
species  only,  or,  if  many,  such  only  as  would  attain  their  greatest  beauty 
when  the  remainder  of  the  design  was  arrayed  in  splendour. 
But  we  have  arranged  for  plants  of  diferent  heights,  and  must  find 
them.  Well,  here  they  are  in  flower  garden  order  :  —  Centre,  Nymphasa 
alba  ;  Hydropeltis  purpurea  around  it  on  the  first  stop — the  flowers  are 
of  a  reddish  purple  colour — and  Nuphar  pumila  at  the  outside  or  edge, 
which  will  be  improved  by  having  .Myosotis  (Forget-me-not)  planted  on 
the  margin  of  the  water  all  round.  It  is  not  necessary  to  adhere  to  this 
arrangement,  for  there  is  ample  variety  of  habit  and  diversity  of  colour 
in  aquatics,  so  that  by  having  but  one  of  a  species  a  large  number  may 
be  grown  in  a  limited  space.  However,  where  anything  like  effect  is 
desired,  the  basin  had  best  be  planted  with  Nymphaeas  in  collection, 
Nuphars,  Alismas,  and  others,  for  it  is  difficult  to  get  aquatics  to  grow  as 
even  inj  height  and  outline  as  bedding  plants.  As  far  as  regards  fish 
