BULBLETS ON StEMS OF LiLIES. 25 



BULBLETS OR BULBILS ON StEMS OF I,ILIES. Bv Mr S. ArNOTT. 



The various methods by which plants can be increased would 

 form a deeply interesting subject for all who are devoted to 

 botanical studies, and are even well worth some consideration by 

 all who are in the least interested in plants and their ways. It 

 is, however, too extensive a subject to be treated within the limits 

 available for this evening, and in the following notes I am confin- 

 ing myself to a method of increase which is especially present in 

 the case of lilies, favourite flowers in almost all ages. This is 

 by means of bulblets or bulbils produced on the stem of the plant. 



In the case of two species of lilium these bulblets are pro- 

 duced naturally, and they are fairly well known to cultivators of 

 flowers from their appeai^ance on the stems of the common tiger 

 lily, lilium tigrinum, and its varieties. These are, when fully 

 developed, miniature bulbs, showing all the characters of the 

 parent bulb, and, if they remain long enough on the stem, even 

 emitting small roots. In general these bulblets fall naturally to 

 the ground in autumn, and, if the conditions are favourable, root 

 there, and are gradually covered by fallen leaves and other 

 accumulations. In gardens, however, they have not the same op- 

 portunities of becoming covered, and hence few of these bulblets 

 reach the stage of growing to a flowering size. As I have said, 

 these bulblets generally fall to the ground, but at times, depend- 

 ing upon the nature of the season, they remain attached to the 

 stem until the latter falls prostrate, when these bulblets have a 

 chance of rooting into the soil. The best known species which is 

 increased in this way is, as has been said, lilium tigrinum, but an 

 allied lily, called lilium bulbiferum, adopts the same method for 

 propagation. One lily, however, called lilium neilgherrense, a 

 native of the Neilgherries, has taken a further step in ad\-ance, so 

 as to ensure its increase. This it does by producing underground 

 stems, like stolons. At intervals along these young bulbs or 

 bulblets are produced, these emitting roots, and thus helping to 

 sustain themselves without abstracting too much nutriment from 

 the parent bulb. It is not so generally known that practically 

 all lilies (I do not refer to any commonly known as "lilies," but 

 which do not belong to the genus lilium) will produce stem 

 bulbils or bulblets if the stems are layered in leaf-soil or some 



