CROCUS. 33 



stopped and wither at the same time, and until this 

 has taken place bulbs should never be removed. 



The Crocus bulb differs from that of the Snow- 

 drop already described, by being a solid, instead of 

 a coated body; consequently, the germ of the Cro- 

 cus is situated at the top instead of the bottom of 

 the bulb, and hence it is that the new bulbs are 

 thrown out at the top, instead of being separated at 

 the bottom, as in the instance of the Galanthus. 



The Crocus frequently produces from three to 

 five new bulbs, but the parent is quite exhausted in 

 the nourishment it affords to its offspring and its 

 flower, leaving no part of the original bulb but a 

 dry outer skin or husk. Of the Autumna, or 

 Saffron Crocus, we have written at large in the 

 History of cultivated Vegetables 



C5 



