The new season’s work begins about March 1st, when the tubers must be taken from the sand storage and potted up, according to size, in a 3- or 5-inch pot. Use a plain, heavy loam without adding either sand, leaf-soil or manure, but a little sand may be placed on the surface of the soil after potting is done. This will help to keep the plant free from algal growth, and to a certain extent prevent the accumulation of scum on top of the water.
The pots containing the tubers must be kept in water. For this purpose galvanized iron tanks painted with red lead are best. Tanks of wood may serve, but have a tendency to leak. Besides, they are awkward to handle. Copper tanks do not give good results. A tank six feet long and four feet broad, with a height of about nine inches will be found most ;,;erviceable. These can be obtained at a cost of from six to eight dollars. The tanks must be flushed every day or two, to remove any matter which might float on the surface and prove injurious to the young plants.
As soon as a plant gets too big for its pot, shift it into a size larger and continue to do this up to 7-inch pots. Never let a plant suffer from need of shifting. Giving a plant room and the best opportunities in early life, will largely counteract the effects of adverse conditions when it is older. This is a fundamental rule in water-lily growing which never should be lost sight of by the grower. It is all-important.
For various reasons it may be impossible to obtain seed of some plants. Many of the hardy nymphaeas produce it but rarely.