The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-06-25

| v.ously explored by D'Orbigny, again found
this aquatic. He secured seeds and sent
them in jar OF wet clay to Kew Gardensl
terminated and grew, but finally died.
From the Essequlbo River came othe1
seeds to Kew, dry this time, along With
rhizones the latter packed In Wardian
cases. The seeds would not germinate
and the rhizomes rotted.
Iai1y-fve plants were secured during
] another expedition from Demerara and
| brought hack to that point, but al dieds
The successful INTRODUCTION Into England
English physicians. Rodie and Luckie,
who sent seeds to Kew from British Guiana
in bottle Of fresh water They arrived
on Feb. %, ls4s.
at chatsworth. Tie plants were placed
In u on Aug. 10, 1850, and on the evening Of
Nov, 0 following the first bloom appeared.
The flower was presented to Queen Victoria
by Dr. Liindley in her honor.
From Kew seeds have been distributes
all over the world. The first American
cutivator to grow, the Victoria regia slo*
cessfully was Caleb Cope, Of PhiladelPhia%
Thomas Meehan. The first flower opened
In the United States on Aug. 81, 1851. =
An American traveller and author of
several horticultural works, Z. 9; RAND, Jr.,i
zen, NJ q sissa IN fsr
plants obtained from which were slightly
named Victoria regia var. Randii, in honoS
however, proved that this novelty Is not,
even varietally distinct from the Victoriap
regia obtained from British Guiana.
In 1894 another American grower Of
saSSos IN I'll the ySnity Of New h YGr xhoss
scarce, obtained from Europe supply Of
seeds OF what was considered a. typical
plant. but they were subsequently, found!
TO be seeds OF new species which wa9t
Horticulture, PROFESSIONALLY, as Victoria regis
var Trickerii:
A question having arisen az to the identity.
OF the newcomer, the introducer sent seeds
as a gsr den variety Of Victoria regia. Noti
satisfied with this Identification, the Ameri-'
can grower made further investigahonsr
and finally concluded that the supposed
species discovered by p'orbigny some
sixty. years previous, and in ls40 named
by him Cruzisna. in honor Of Gen. Santa
Cruz Of Bolivia.
is a perennial, but here it is treated a. on
annual seedlings being raised in the green
houses every spring The plants are set
out in their summer quarters in the open.
heated pond, in the early part Of June.
Those in the Rose Garden at Prospects
Park are now showing their cup shaped
leaves. These increase rapidly. In the
plants native home the leaves are said toi
expand four OF five square feet in twenty
four hours, but with us the growth is much
slower.
The leaves are very buoyant, due prin-
cipally to the numerous air cells with which
they are furnished on their under sides.
Water does not remain on their surface.
doubtless escaping through small apertures,
which one betanist has termed stomatodes.
When the leaves have attained their full
growth they can sustain a weight Of from
$50 to 200 pounds. One plant. grown In 1899
Is a fine collection Of victorias. bore 4
weight Of $50 pounds. No longer look on
Homer's story OF Venus floating on the
water lily leaf as poetical fiction discord-
ant with facts in nature.
lily are now extensively grown in America,
both in public and private gardens. The
outdoor culture OF the plant is most certain
when artificial heat is provided as is done
at Prospect Park.
The plants GRE set in the ponds In boxes,
which contain a rich mellow loan. The
temperature Of the water should run from
IS to 90 degrees. The plants will flower
in from about six to eight weeks after being,
set out
The blossoms, new ones Of which appear\
every third or fourth day. open in the
evening, They possess a delicious fra.
GRANGE not unlike that OF the pineapple:
1noy laSC Dut TWO DlRnCs uuTlpS tne nov
weather, and occasionally at the end Of the
season for three nights.
The blooms Of the typical Victoria, when
they first unfold. are whtish, with a pink
center. The color spreading over the
petals increases with age, and when day ,
old is OF a rose hue. on the second evening
turning 10 a dull crimson. When fully e1-
banded we'll grown flower OF the Victoria
rega will measure from fifteen to eighteen
inches in diameter.
The Trickerii or Crudana species is the
harder OF the two, consequently better
adapted to outdoor cultivation. It's flow
ers turn to deep reddish pink the second
evening.