100 



DEVELOPMENT OF THE 



The composition of the whole bulh is most easily ascertained. 

 A short time before flowering at the end of March, the fleshy 

 scales belonging to last year's axis are still present, and the parts 

 on the main axis of this year's flower-stem are as follows ; the 

 rather fleshy primary scale (Fig. 3, b), one alternating with it, 

 and then about six short membranous scales (d). All these, which 

 are distinct from one another, vanish almost entirely after the 

 flowering is over. After these follow from four to six leaves (e) 

 whose basal portion is fleshy, and the lamina membranaceous and 

 white. The lamina is shorter in the outer leaves, in the inner 

 gradually longer, being often five to six inches long. The basal 

 portions are already confluent, at least in the lower leaves. After 

 flowering the lamina? w-ither very rapidly, and leave a scar on the 

 upper margin of the surviving base. The Crown Imperial grows so 

 rapidly in spring that the nutriment stored up in the scales of last 

 year's bulb is soon exhausted, and in consequence of the very deli- 

 cate texture of their cuticle, they vanish almost entirely after flower- 

 ing, and do not form, as in many other bulbs, a dry skin. During 

 and soon after flowering the scales of the active bud attain their 

 full growth, and the bulb is then again in the same condition in 

 which it was before, since the bud at the base of the flower-stem is 

 already more developed. 



Fritillaria 



Fig. 1. Bulb in autumn about half 

 the real size. 



a. old peduncle. 



b. scaly coats of bulb. 



c. bud which is to flower in 



spring. 

 Fig. 2. Vertical section of do., with 

 the bulb e, Fig. 1, more 

 advanced. 



d. basal axis. 



IMPERIALIS. 



Fig. 3. Main bud a short time be- 

 fore flowering. 



b. primary fleshy scale. 



c. second do. 



d, d. short membranous scales. 



e, e. leaves with fleshy bases 



which form the bulb des- 

 tined to nourish the 

 young bud during the 

 autumn and winter. 



Hyacinthus orientalis, L. (The Garden Hyacinth.) 



The following description applies to the plant at the time of 

 flowering. The bulb is formed of numerous very broad concentric 

 sheaths, which exhibit a scar in consequence of the decay of their 

 margin. Of those also (E'ig. 1, a) which are seated below the 

 short remnant of the last year's flower-stem, many are still unex- 

 hausted, and firm and juicy. Remains even of the two-year-old 

 flower-stem are found between the sheaths, and single sheaths 



