The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-05-14
Elegant Line in All Styles and Prices.
AQUATIC PLANTS.
Their Beauty Now Appreciated-Not
Difficult to Grow.

Difficult 10 Ur0W.
From an Address by L. w. Gooden OF Massac hui
sets.
No other class of plants is attracting
more attention at the present time than
the aQuatics. The interest now awakened
in these plants is due chiefly to tie fine
displays of them that have been made in
the public parks and at the exhibitions of
our own and other horticultural societies
during the past few years. They are row
grown in the public parks of nearly all of
the large cities and many Of the smaller
ones in this country. and always attract
the attention of crowds of people. Boston
seems to be the only large city whose parks
are without such decorations.
No more attractive feature can be added
to public park%or private grounds than
water garden. There are many beautiful
hardy varieties, which once established in
natural ponds or streams will take care of
themselves, or they can be grown in tubs
or tanks with little trouble or expense.
Many of the more tender varieties will also
grow successfully in tubs or tanks, bat will
need removal TO the house or a warm,
light cellar during the period of too cold
temperature outside. Where O natural
stream exists connected pond can be pre-
pared, but otherwise an artificial one can
be made be excayating to the depth of 212
feet in the center. Near the sides the bot
brick or stone wall built from the bottom
all round, but that would increase the ex-
pense. The excavation completed the
bottom should be we'll pounded down, 10
be solid rest for the weight of soil and
water to by upon it. Then a coat of ce-
ment is TO be laid on over all the surface to
the outer edge, having first put in pipe to
draw of the water when necessary.
AQuatics are hearty feeders and soil for
them should be of The richest character.
Good turfy loan, with third of its bulk
of thoroughly decnmpoSed stable manure
and three or four pounds of high-grade
commercial fertilizer to each cubic yard of
the other materials, all well mixed to-
gether. forms a good compost. This should
be laid down and pounded hard to one
foot in depth all over the bottom Of the
pond and covered with two inches o sand
or fine gravel to hold the soil down and
prevent its mixing with the water Then
let on the water, but so gently as not to
wash up the sand or soil To insure sue
cess in growing tender nymph@as without
artificial heat in the pond shallow water is a
most important point, as the sun heats up
the soil uuder four or five inches Of water
much quicker than in deeper water; but
during the very cheated term one foot of
water can be kept on
Spring is the time to plant pond, but
the first of June is~early enough for this
planting in our latitude. When ready TO
plant draw off nearly all of the water. then
set the plants much the same as in dry
earth. Set them in an irregular manner,
giving to each as much room as its full
grown foliage will cover, or more. II the
pond is large, set the plants in groups near
the border, leaving Open water between
groups as well as in the center of the pond.
Harmonious surroundings, such as sub
tropical plants, heighten the effect of such
a water garden.
10 grow the larger tender water lilies
to full size and perfection, artificial heat
must be used by putting in at The bottom
of the pond coils OF steam pipes, connected
with boiler near Mt hand. In such case
the soil would be bestin wide boxes placed
in the pond. They should be of a size and
d epth to be covered with sash during the
first weeks of growth of the plants Vic
toria Tegia Randi made a great success
with this treatment.
The most attractive and popular aquatic
plants are the nymph8as. some of the
tropical varieties exceeding in gorgeous
ness every other class of flowers In the
world. The nympbaas are divided into
the daY-booming and night blooming
classes. The day-bloomiug flowers open
in the morning and close in the middle of
the aflern Don. The nigEt-boomers open
after sunset and remain open until noon
the next day, If the weather is cool or
cloudy. Each flower usually opens four
times