SOCIAL AND POLITICAL ECONOMY. 185 



although we know there is no soil present ; and no 

 mineral matter dissolved in the water. The plant 

 develops its bright green leaves, and by and by we 

 have a spike of brilliantly -coloured and sweetly- 

 perfumed flowers. What a transformation scene ! 

 What has effected it ? Simply the influence of the 

 sun's radiant energy working up the raw material of 

 the store of starch in the almost shapeless bulb, so 

 that the growing plant has been able, with the help 

 of only a little water, to effect a change almost 

 magical. In such plants the bulbs are merely 

 thickened developments of the stems ; they are not 

 roots ; nor are they underground buds like potatoes. 

 Our horticulturists adopt a singular method of 

 making Lilies and others of these bulbed plants bear 

 very beautiful flowers. They cut down the plant 

 year after year, just before it gives signs of flowering, 

 so that the bulb or base of the stem becomes 

 unusually thickened ; that is to say, it is enabled to 

 lay by several years' accumulation of starch instead 

 of only one year's, and the consequence is that when 

 such a plant is allowed to flower there is an unusually 

 magnificent display. This reminds us of the way in 

 which some families forego the pleasure of a short 

 summer's holiday one year, so that they may take a 

 longer one the year after ! 



Little or no vegetable growth goes on during 

 winter ; even though it be a mild one. The plants 

 worked vigorously during the summer, " whilst it 



