II, ‘I' -3- '

Six sorts were received and planted in the pond, near the brow of the hill, and west of the barn mentioned, these all belonged to

the species Nymphaea as follows: N. alba7'N. alba gigantia; N. alba gladstonia; Nodorata rosea; g: odorata luciana, and g: marliacea.

The water lily rootstalks were set in groups according to variety along the edge of the pond in eighteen inches of water. The method used was that old woven, wooden, potato baskets were weighted with stones and filled with a rich loam soil that had well rotted stable manure mixed with it. The lily rootstalks were planted from two to three inches deep. The use of an inch of coarse sand or gravel to hold down the manure and prevent fish or insects disturbing the soil in the containers is recommended.

By the time the first leaf stalks reached the surface of the pond destructive insects had attacked the young leaves and we were obliged to move the whole group of baskets to the third pond mentioned, quite near the Pottery Lane, sometimes called the DeBlois Road, now closed. The lillies made growth there during the summer of 1910.

During the season of 1910 the Lily Pond, as it is now known, was used as a water supply for livestock by the late Mr. Albert Mutch, who woned the adjoining property and had reserved the right to water his stock from this pond when he sold an area of land including the pond to the government. The pond became completely dry during the summer of 1910 and the destructive insects were all killed.

Early in the spring of 1911 the baskets containing the established lily plants were brought back and replaced in vareity groups in the pond where the water was about 2 ft. deep and where, so far as we knew ice would not rest on the bottom in winter. Many roots and rootlets were showing through the baskets and the lilies quickly established themselves.

In 1916 the varieties still in groups covered areas of the pond from 15 to 25 ft. in diameter. Some varieties produced large pods of seeds, these when mature broke off and floated to other parts of the pond and established colonies of lily pads and later abundant blooms.

J. A. Clark, D.Sc. Guardian approximately 1950 Charlottetown, P.E.I. submitted by:

Lorna Knox Charlottetown, P.E.I.

Lichens

Winter is generally believed to be a low time of the year for the plant lovers among us. Not so to the lichen—watchers! A mild winter day, when the woods are free from the distractions of flowers, leaves and singing birds, is an ideal time to look for lichens. Lichens tend to be brighter and more easily seen when dampness and lack of canopy shadow reveal their rich colors.

A Lichen is really formed by two distinct plants, an alga and a fungus, living together in a harmonious association known as. symbiosis. The resulting plant body, or thallus, formed by this mutual relationship acts as a single organism and bears no resemblance to the original alga or fungus. The algal portion of a lichen uses sunlight to carry on photosynthesis and produce foods just as all green plants do. The fungus which makes up the bulk of the lichen, forms protective layers whic surround and protect the algal portion and give shape and structure to the plant. Much of the time lichens are dry, dull and brittle, existing in an essentially dormant state. When the moisture level in the air becomes sufficiently high the lichen becomes soft and flexible. At the same time the fungal component becomes semi-transluscent, allowing light to penetrate _ into the algal layer which can then begin to carry on food production again. The translucence also lets the more interesting colours of the alga show through, and explains why lichens appear to be more. richly colored during damp weather. This dependence on high humidity also explains in part why lichens are so slow—growing, and why they do well in damp areas such as.along seashores and in swamps and bogs.