“ A s it progressed it gave us every reason to believe th a t the leaves would attain a much la rge r size th is year, 1850, than last, and, having th e spring
in its favour, it grew very luxuriantly, and fully realised our most sanguine expectations. E a rly in May w e were desirous o f ascertaining again what
weight the leaves were capable o f bearing : a le a f was accordingly removed from th e p lan t for th e purpose, floated in a brook which runs close to the
gardens, and a very light circular trellis o f th e same size was made, and la id on th e surface so as to distribute th e weight equally. W e th en placed
one hundred and twelve pounds upon th e leaf, which it bore for some minutes before any water flowed u pon it. I t would have floated much longer
were it n o t for th e difficulty o f equally distributing th e pressure. T h e weights were then taken off, and a man, upwards o f te n stone weight, stood
upon i t ; this it bore for two o r th re e minutes. After th a t a person o f eleven stone, which i t sustained for nearly th e same time. This leaf, was about
five feet in diameter. Since th a t we have had bo th ladies and gentlemen, from e ig h t to eleven stone weight, repe a tedly try in g th e experiment, and th e
g re a t b uoyant power w hich they so evidently possess gives th e individuals thus standing on them à feeling o f p e rfe c t safety.
“ A bout th e middle o f May a le a f was taken to th e Horticultural Society, five fe e t two inches in diameter, and in J u ly w e h a d several leaves
measuring five feet seven inches in diameter, the ir edges tu rning u p more than three inches, quite perpendicularly, and o f th e most beautiful da rk p urple
colour. The flowers a t the same period measured o ne foot one inch in diameter. T h e petioles o f th e large leaves measured nearly four inches in
circumference, and th e base o f th e peduncle th re e inches.
“ I fully expect leaves next ye a r to b e seven fe e t in diameter, and i t is my opinion th ey will n o t much exceed th a t in this country,
“ A bout th e beginning o f Au g u st th e p lant began again to decrease in size, although very g radua lly; and on th e 9 th o f November, which was th e
anniversary o f its first expanding its lovely flowers in this country, it had produced one hundred and fifty leaves and one hundred an d twenty-six flowers !
W ith th e exception o f a few o f th e latter, which were removed in bud, with th e view o f strengthening th e p lant, i t ha s never ceased flowering from th e
time o f its commencement, and is now (November 2 7 ) p u ttin g u p its flowers with th e same regularity as a t th e beginning, a p ro p e rty w hich we do n ot
find any other cultivated p lan t to possess.
“ The leaves are now th re e fe e t six inches in diameter, and gradua lly becoming smaller. T h e tru n k , or root-stock, although i t has been twice earthed
up, is again Out o f th e soil, and th e gre a t bundles o f roots, issuing from th e base o f th e petioles, may b e easily distinguished. T h e tru n k is exactly as
represented by Mr. Bridges ; in fact, like th a t o f our common Water-Lily, only, as a matter o f course, much larger.
“ I should say th e tru n k o f our p lan t would b e about five inches in diameter. T h e roots are, no doubt, excessively active, ù p ; to th e p e rio d o f the
full development o f th e leaf, and u ntil th e la tte r begins to show symptoms o f decay. Afte r th a t th e action o f th e roots must b e very much on the
decrease, and are o f little use to th e p lan t when th e le a f is removed. T h e decay o f th e roots evidently take s pla c e first a t th e trunk, or root-stock.
Those I examined were quite black for about two inches,, an d symptoms o f decay were traceable ;in pa rts o f .the roots for about th e spa c e o f three
inches more. Below th a t th ey appeared quite sound, although, as a n atural consequence, they must; have b e en q u ite inactive. T h e size o f th e fibres of
the roots examined was five-eighths o f an inch in diameter.
“ The pistil, or seed-vessel, about th e third day after th e first expansion o f th e flower, o r as soon as th e pe ta ls a re ; decomposed, sinks gradually
unde r th e water, occasionally rising and lowering itself, b u t n o t coming to th e surface ; consequently differing in this pa rticula r from th e account given
b y travellers o f its raising itse lf o ut o f th e water to ripen its seed.
“ T h e time occupied in ripening its seed varies from twenty-eight to thirty-seven days, and th e numbe r o f seeds in each ovary is from twenty-five
to one hundred and seventy-nine, which la tte r is th e g reatest number we have had. T h e seed remains in th e soil after sowing, before germinating,
from one to four months.
■j “ The young p lan t in our New House has made a m uch g re a te r growth in a g iven time th an th e old one. I t w as planted in a circular tank,itHirty-four
feet in diameter, in twenty-six cart-loads o f prepa red soil, on th e 2 6 th o f Ju n e , 1850, its la rge st le a f a t th e time being one foot four inches in diameter.;
on th e 22nd o f July, its largest le a f was three fe e t; on th e 30th, th re e fe e t seven inches ; on th e 6 th o f August, four fe e t two inches. On th e 28th we
discovered its first flower-bud, ju s t two months an d two days from th e time o f planting, its leaves then measuring four fe e t six inches, with th e edges
turned u p two inches. On th e 5 th o f September th e first flower expanded, th e leaves were th en four fe e t e ig h t inches in diameter ; on th e 24th,
the p lan t h ad stretched its leaves to within one foot six inches o f th e side o f th e ta n k ; on th e 27th, within te n inches, and th e re were twenty leaves
from one ro o t; on th e 30th, th e leaves touched th e sides o f th e ta n k ; thus filling a tan k o f such large dimensions in th e sh o rt space o f thre e months
and four days, with several o f th e leaves measuring f iv ^ f e e t in diam e te r! On th e 20th o f October th e p lan t h ad twenty-five large leaves upon it,
which is th e largest number w e have h ad a t one time, and, with th e exception o f two o r th re e o f th e oldest, all were in a h e a lthy state. I t h a s ' this day
(November 27) twenty-three leaves, and produces flowers n e a rly one foot in diameter, when fully expanded. T h e re are generally four, and sometimes
five, flowers to b e s een a t th e same time, some above water and some partially immersed, in different stages o f development.”
I t is now well known to our readers th a t H is Grace th e D u k e o f Devonshire ha s b u ilt a new house, with a circulai- tank (th e b e st form possible),
expressly for this p lant, and u n d e r Mr. P axton’s skilful management i t will, we h ave every reason to believe, flourish equally as in its native Ig a rip é s*
W e are informed, in th e Gardeners’ Chronicle, for 1850, p. 310, th a t th e p lan t a t Syon was received from ICew in th e second week o f September, 1849.
“ I t w as th en a v ery small affair, th e largest le a f n ot being more th an four inches in diameter. N o convenient receptacle having b e en previously provided
for it, th re e Nelumbiwn tubs, ¿.e., tubs in which Nelumbiums h ad been cultivated, were pro cu red ; one o f these was filled with water, and in this th e p ot
containing our aquatic was plunged. The other two tubs were placed one above and tb e othe r below this one, for th e purpose o f circulating' and
changing th e water, which w as led by means o f a syphon o ut o f th e higher tub into th e o n e in which th e p lan t was, from thenc e into th e lower tub,
and o ut o f th a t it was again pumped into th e higher one, thus producing a continual flow o f water from th e higher tu b to th e lower one, a p oint
* For copious further particulars about the Chatsworth plant, its rato of growth, Sx., see Gardcncni Chronicle for 1849, especially at pp. 694, 739, and 742, and for 1850, p. 70, as well as for tho particulars of the noble
(th e circulation o f th e water) which Mr. Iveson considers o f th e h ig h e st'im portanc e in th e culture o f this aquatic. I t was shifted first into a pot, and
then into a basket, while i t remained in th e Nelumbium tub, which* was a t.lftst enlarged to six feet squa re a t th e top by means o f sheet lead, and
even un d e r these circuinstances i t made very satisfactory progress. A slate; tan k , twenty-two féèt long, twelve feet wide, and two feet six inches
deep, becoming shallower as its sides were approached, was about this time constructed for its reception. A hillock o f well-decayed turfy loam mixed
with a little rive r sand, and having brickbats below to ke ep it open, was pla c ed in th e middle o f this tank, and the Victoria was planted o ut on this hillock
a little after Christmas. T h e water in th e ta n k is warmed b y a two-inch p ip e a t top, and a four-inch p ip e a t bottom, and it is fed from a small slate cistern
a t one end, which ke eps continually pouring warm water on a broad wheel about a foot in diameter, whose revolutions produce motion in th e water in
th e large tank, th e whole béing supplied from a rain-water cistern in th e open garden. The water is k e p t a t a temperature o f 85°, and th e a ir o f the
house (formerly a lean-to, b u t now a ltered to a span roof) between 80° and 90°.
“ Since th e house has been a ltered th e tan k has be en enlarged to twenty-two feet square, each corner containing Nymplueas o f different colours
and the re , .are also two Nelumbiums n e a r th e centre, whose foliage, rising, as it does, above th e surface o f th e water, gives to th e whole an artistic
appe a ranc e w hich i t would n o t otherwise possess.
a " M A t th e p re sent time th e p lan t ha s ten leaves On. it, and oiie le a f is ju s t expanding. Several o f them measure five feet in diameter. They
are almost quite circular, pink on tlie u n d e r sides, and deeply ribbed, and most o f them have a turned u p rim o f from one and a half to two inches in
diameter.”
Mr. Iveson, th e very intelligent g a rdene r a t S yon, has obligingly communicated th e following additional information on th e 11th o f November, 1850.
“ Our Victoria house, originally a lean-to, was converted into a span roofed One as soon as th e p lan t filled th e original space devoted to it, and the
tan k was enlarged to nearly twenty-two fe e t square, b u t I have found during th e summer th a t it w ould have covered a space double the size o f the tank
in which i t is now g row ing; indeed, two o r thre e healthy leaves were obliged to b e removed every week, in order to allow th e young ones to
expand. T h e la rge st le a f was six fe e t in diameter, with a footstalk eighteen feet long !
“ The leaves attain the ir full size in one week from th e time th e b u d begins to unfold, b u t th e footstalk continues to grow for a considerable
time afterwards ; from two to th re e large leaves were produced weekly.
“ U p to th e p re sent time (11th November, 1850) the re have be en eighty flowers; th e largest measured was fourteen inches in diameter, and since
th e h e a t o f th e sun ha s declined, th e white p a rt o f th e petals has a much more clear and fresh appearance on th e second d ay o f the flower, which
adds very much ito* aits beauty. Some o f th e flowers open be tte r in th e centre th an the others, and I have noticed th a t those which expand well
produce th e la rge st n umber o f p e rfe c t seeds.
: “ T h e seed-vessels generally remain un d e r water about six weeks o r two months, when they rise to th e surface, split into pieces th e following day
if n o t gathe red : some contain upwards o f one h u ndred perfect seeds, and, when sown immediately on being gathered, they germinate in about a
month o r six weeks.
“ T h e re is one p o in t th a t ought to be particularly impressed upon those who cultivate the Victoria, and th a t is the tendency the crown o f th e plant
has to rise u p to th e surface and o u t o f th e water, unless means are provided for giving an additional d ep th o f water as it grows ; the crown o f the
p lan t a t Syon is now eighteen inches higher than when i t w as p lanted in Jan u a ry o f th e p re sen t year.
“ I have touch pleasure in saying th a t th e p lan t is still in good health, and appears likely to continue* flowering all th e winter, although the
tempe ra ture has be en considerably lowered with th e intention o f giving i t a partial rest.”
I f th e V ito r ia a t Kew was ta rd y in producing its flowers, this circumstance arose from no want o f skill and care on th e pa rt o f the able Curator.
I t is mainly, i f n o t entirely, owing to th e fa c t o f our having then no sufficient command o f soft water. The case is altered now, thanks to the
liberality o f th e Commissioners o f Woods and Forests, and thanks to an enlightened p u b ic , who, while deriving pleasure and instruction from
th e treasures contained in the se gardens, are n o t backward in expressing the desire they feel for the ir prosperity. The tank originally provided
for i t was twenty-five fe e t long, b y eleven and a h a lf wide, and two feet deep. Mr. Smith’s views respecting th e cultivation shall be here
recorded J 2 b H
“ From what we have y e t observed o f this plant, i t appears to be easy o f culture in this country, provided suitable means are adopted, which consist
in having a low-roofod hothouse, ó f such dimensions as shall admit a tan k n o t less than from twenty-five to th irty feet in diameter, though forty feet would
be needful for its complete development. Two fe e t in d ep th w e consider sufficient, b u t we recommend more than th a t in th e middle, say three to four feet
deep in an area o f twelve fe e t in diameter. I n th e construction o f th e tank, means must b e provided for heating, th e water. This may b e accomplished
eithe r by pip e s through th e water in th e tank, o r b y p ipe s placed below th e tank. T h e centre, or deep p a rt o f th e tank, is then to be filled with the
p rope r soil, and raised to such a distance from th e surface o f what will be th e level o f th e water when full, as best to suit th e rhizoma to be
planted, which should be almost o r entirely un d e r water. T h e soil should b e a p u re soft loam, free from any quantity o f vegetable matter, and much
will depend assuredly on th e quality o f th e water. E xperience has shown th a t th e hard pump water from th e gravel, which is th e substratum here, will
n o t answer. Ra in water is doubtless th e best, and freest from anything injurious.
“ He a t, soil, and water be ing thus provided, when th e la tte r has attained th e temperature o f 80° in th e tank, th e p lan i m ay safely be placed in the
soil, exactly in th e middle ; th e tempe ra ture o f th e atmosphere o f th e house should then be maintained a t 75° a t night, o r it may b e allowed to go a
few degrees lower in th e winter. In summer, a ir may b e admitted when th e thermometer rises to 85°, and then also th e water in th e tank may be allowed
to rise a few degrees, b u t notato exceed 85°. A n opinion has been ente rta ined th a t to cultivate Victoria with success, it is necessary to have th e surface *
o f th e water k e p t in a constant s ta te o f agitation (which we believe is n o t th e case in its native Iga ripé s) and, to accomplish that, a small overshot
water-wheel has been used. This we consider q u ite unnecessary, having evidence before os o f a p lan t producing above sixty flowers in th e course of