File:American homes and gardens (1907) (17970357929).jpg

Title: American homes and gardens
Identifier: americanhomesga41907newy (find matches)
Year: 1905 (1900s)
Authors:
Subjects: Architecture, Domestic; Landscape gardening
Publisher: New York : Munn and Co
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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N ANCIENT Egypt there were three varie- ties of the lotus: the sacred lotus, called by modern writers the "rose lily," because of Its beautiful pink color; the sweet-scented blue lotus; and the white. I he seed of the white lotus, called the "sacred bean," was used for food and made into bread, its taste being like that of sweet almonds. As it was said to affect the memory so that people forgot their native countries, Homer warned his countrymen to "abstain from beans." The Egyptians gave a lotus to each guest at festivals, of- fered it to their gods in religious ceremonies, and painted and carved its form upon their temples. At feasts the walls were decorated with the lotus, and a vase of the fragrant varieties was placed on a table before the gixer of the feast. The attendants hung necklaces of the flower on the neck of each guest, and placed a wreath on his head, so arranged that a bud or cluster of blossoms fell exactly in the center of the forehead. It was regarded as a symbol of Eife by the peo- ple of upper Egypt. The seed was sown by v^rapping it in clay, and throwing it into the water. The words "Cast thy bread upon the waters and it shall return to thee after many days" refers to the way the lotus was planted. In our own country, also, the Indians planted the lotus and used the roots and seed for food. At Sharpstown, near Woodstown, N. J., in the southern part of the State, is a millpond belonging to Mr. A. M. Oliphant. It runs the entire western side of the town, covering between fifteen and twenty acres, and is bordered by a fine grove on the western side. It is filled with lotus plants the Indians set out, the x ariety known as the Nelumbiiim Intern. The blooms, some of which stand five feet out of water, measure five to ten inches across, and are a beautiful canary yellow. The flowers last about six weeks, from the middle of July till the first of September, and people come many miles while they are in season to see this superbly beautiful sheet of water covered with blossoms. The plant roots are very deep in the mud, and look like a sweet potato. The seed pod is as large as
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A New Hampshire Water Garden of Truly Tropical Eifect Pink and Yellow Nymphaea and Water Hyacinth in Cemented Basin

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