Norwich bulletin., 1914-07-25
JEWETT CITY
6oroush's Lilies at TadpoIe Pond Now in Their Glory-Army Worms Des- troy Ost Crop.

Within short time a party came many miles to see and admire the soldiers monument A few months ago a delegation of textile goods mer- chants came to Jewett City from Bos- ton and New York in a special car Tor the express purpose of inspecting the Aspinook bleaching and fin ishinQ plant, which is reckoned among the largest in the country. The borough's grammar school is one of the finest schools in the state and outside towns are pleased that their children may become its pupils. and now this week a party was here from Boston to ad- mire the unsurpassed beauty of the lily pond. Every morning at TadpoIe a mile north of the town, countless thousands of lilies are in bloom. The two ponds on the east and west sides of the railroad cover an area of more than twenty acres, and it is almost a solid surface of white. When the windows of passing trains are open the delicate perfume is very pro- nounced. A little after noon the show is over and every flower is tightly closed. The main root of the lily, which lies we'll embedded in the mud dy bottom of the pond is as large around as mans arm and will weigh from five to ten pounds. From this the long. slender stems of both the pads and flowers rise to the surface of the water
 Tadpole pond is the habitat of hun dreds of muskrats, whose principal summers quantities of these roots have been dug from the bottom of the pond and taken away for transplanting. All that Is necessary is to throw them into a pond with a mud bottom and nature does the rest.
 The flower. which is the nymphaea odorata of the botanies is somewhat of a peculiar plant. in that 1t is difficult to decide where the petals end and the stamens begin. In Gray, we read: Petals numerous. in many rows, the innermost gradually passing into sta mems. While MT. Grant Allen says: Petals are in all probability enlarged and fiattened stamens.
 Speaking of another season a New York paper said: One hundred and fifty miles north of this city between the villages of Jewett City and Plain field, the Norwich and Worcester branch of the New Haven railroad passes through Tadpole pond, the most wonderful lily pond in Connecticut. and perhaps in the country. It is a still sheet of water, one ltle in di- ameter, among the wild, secluded hills. and It's surface is a vast bouquet of lovely pond lilies. So thickly are the lilies tangled together that one crosi- ing the lake has barely glimpse Of the water.
 The llneS are now anu the lake seems to be a sheet of nod ding pink and white petals.
 When the wind is strong and the lilies are open the perfume of them is perceptible quarter of mile tom the brink of the pond. The railboad crosses the lake on a low causeway. and when a train passes through a hundred windows fly up. and scores of passengers gaze at the novel and beautiful spectacle uttering exciama- tions of wonder and delight In the season men and boys do a lively bus mess gathering the lilies by the bushel and wagonload and selling them in punches in the cities Vendors come to the pond from far away towns. even from Worcester and Providence. So thick are the lilies and in such tangled masses that it is almost impossible to propeI a boat in the pond and the l lily gatherers have to wade for them in hip rubber boots
 A dozen men might easily hll a ! freight car with them in fOreno VI. | Not only are the lilies extraordinarily plentiful, but the blossoms are more regal perfect, lustrous and of deep CT hue than in other ponds. Tadpole ] is a shallow pond and tadpoles abound | in the waters almost as plenteous as the lilies: hence the name. It Is also | the home of huge turtles. many fifty pounds have been caught in the pond or on it's muddy margin.