Evening star., 1902-08-16
THE LOTUS FLOWER
GROWN FROM THE SEED OF THE
EGYPTIAN PLANT.
Wonderful Growth of Beautiful Bios
Som-Corean Minister'S Delight
in Having One.

II is likely that but few of those who
have in the last few weeks noticed pecu-
Harly beautiful water lily in various florists
windows knew that it was the sacred lotus,
o. knowing it's name, realized that it was
the genuine flower of Buddha, and that It
is TO be found nowhere else in the United
States. The first plant sprang from seed
planted by Mr.. Huff of Falls Church in
an artificial pond in his garden He sent
for the Egyptian seed, the flower of which
is pink, and the bloom which came from
the seed he received is pure white Still.
it is a genuine lotus from Asia, the same
that miracuIously filled all the ponds at the
birth of Gautama. Mr.. Huff has carried
number of the blooms to his office in the
Interior Department, and they have attract
ed marked attention by reason of their un-
usual size and beauty. Last week the
Corean minister went into the library of
this department and was overwhelmed with
aStOniShment and pleasure at seeing a num-
Der of these magnificent holy flowers in a
great vase. The librarian handed him one.
He caressed it as one might touch the
tace of a child and begged permission 10
keep it beside him during his visit. When
he rose to go the lady begged him to ac-
cept the blossom He was deeply touched,
ard three times he returned to thank her
for the gift of the priced flower, which
he had not seen since leaving his native
land.
The great waxen blooms, not unlike a
Mississippi magnolia, are often a foot in
diameter, and grow on stalks SIX or eight
feet long, that lift them high above the sur
face of the water. In the center is a GU
rious and distinctive seed pod AS the
petals drop away the seed pod enlarges un-
I'll it is the size of large saucer. When
the seeds are ripe they rattle gayly in the
pod.
The leaves are odd too. They are never
wet. Water poured in the hollow of one
runs about like quicksilver on glass, leav-
ing not a trace. Nor is the long, stiff stalk
like other stalks. a section of it looks like
the muzZle of an Old-fashiOned six-shooter.
Small tubes run the entire length of the
stalk, doubtless causing it's strength and
hrmneSs-
Mr.. Huff did not until last year exhibit
any of these beautiful blooms in the city.
This summer he has already taken off SS4
blossoms from the plants in the pond which
is about eighty feet in diameter, and all OF
which have come from the seed. \
number of flowers have been shipped to
New York, but they do not bear transDor-
tation very well
HUFF for some seeds and now has pond
Of lotus in its grounds. Whether the plants
are from these seeds or not Mr.. Huff does
not know, as many of the blooms are pink.
There was nothing in Washington this
summer more beautiful than the lotus
pond at the department. The glorious
creamy or pink blossoms lifted high In ex-
ulting radiance are as magnificent as they
are rare. Gazing on their matchless beauty
one can easily believe the legend of the
Nelumbo bud. that floats forever with In
dian cupid down the holy river" and real
ize that this peerless flower was worthy to
cradle a god.
The plants grow remarkably we'll in this
climate, requiring no protection last win
ter. There are, of course, many rare plants
in Washington. but none more interesting
than this lily, which has for five thousand
years been worshiped as an emblem of
purity by the Oldest nations in the world
and perhaps it is the only plant to be
found in this city alone of all the conti-
nent- 1t is undoubtedly our most dis
tinguished and aristocratic floral guest, as
rare and as much TO be honored as though
II were an ambassador of the flower king
dom.