SPRING CROCUSES 67 



such as we have now before us. It is firmly attached 

 to the circular scar, but free above. Now and then 

 the outer tunic is double, those of two seasons per- 

 sisting together. 



If we strip off the outer tunic, we expose a white 

 mass, not formed of overlapping coats as in a 

 Hyacinth or Onion bulb, but solid and nearly uniform 

 in texture. From this, and usually from its top, 

 spring the shoots, which will rise into the air, bearing 

 leaves and flowers. There are no roots at present ; 

 the old roots are withered and the new ones do not 

 form until the shoots begin to push. Surrounding 

 the shoots are several other tunics, of the same tex- 

 ture as the outer one, but of smaller size. They are 

 like circular capes, laid one above another to protect 

 the tender shoots. At first, these inner tunics are all 

 attached at various levels to the white mass, but as 

 the mass enlarges the lowest tunic becomes detached 

 and is slipt upwards, leaving a distinct circle on the 

 surface a little above the basal scar, to show where it 

 was once attached. The remaining tunics often 

 remain in place ; if you pull them off they leave 

 similar circular lines or scars. 



Since the chief part of the bulb is not made up of 

 scales or coats, it is not in technical language a bulb 

 at all, but a corm. What is the substance of the corm 

 made of? Pare a slice off, and put it into weak 

 iodine solution (tincture of iodine diluted with water). 

 Blue specks immediately appear on the cut surface, 

 and before long it turns blue-black all over. Blue 

 grains wash out into the solution. If these are 

 examined by the microscope, they are found to be 



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