34 



FOOD RESERVOIRS 



of bulbels. The multiplier or potato onion (Fig. 49) is an 

 example. If the bulb is cut across, it is found to have two 

 or more "hearts" or cores (Fig. 50). When it has been 



planted a week, each core 

 or part begins to separate 

 (Fig. 51), and there are 

 soon as many onions as 

 there are cores. Potato 

 onions can be bought of 

 seedsmen. They are used 

 for the raising of early 

 onions. 



82. Solid bulb-like parts 

 are known as corms. These 

 usually have a loose cover- 

 ing, but the interior is not 

 made up of scales or plates. 

 Of such are gladiolus and 

 crocus corms. (Figs. 52, 53.) Corms multiply by cormels or 

 small corms, as bulbs do by bulbels; or the plant may bear 

 cormlets amongst the branches and foliage. Fig. 54 shows 

 an old gladiolus corm on which three new corms have grown. 

 83. We have seen that thickened parts may serve one 

 or both of two purposes: they may be storage-organs for 



51. Beginning to separate into its parts. 

 Each part will be a little onion. 



52. Corm of crocus. Nat. size. 



53. Section of a crocus corm. 



