Thirteen] UjOUS EttS '49 



be left on a tuber, and the removal of the extra ones 

 for grafting is a distinct gain. Whenever it is nec- 

 essary to divide the roots a portion of the stem with 

 a well-defined eye must be given to each division, 

 otherwise there will be no top growth; the toes will 

 root, but they will not grow. For further directions 

 see chapter on growing Dahlias from seed. 



Caladium esculentum, or Elephant's Ears, is a na- 

 tive of the Sandwich Islands, where it furnishes a 

 staple article of food called Poa. The root when 

 cooked is like a potato. It is better to start sepa- 

 rately in pots an inch larger than the bulbs, setting 

 the top of the bulb just above the surface of the 

 soil. Pot with muck or good compost and keep 

 moist and warm. They respond to heat and moist- 

 ure the most readily of all dormant bulbs, beginning 

 to grow at once and making steady progress, the 

 root growth keeping step with the top much more 

 uniformly than is usual with bulbs that are wintered 

 dry. It is an ideal plant for the amateur, as easily 

 grown as a hill of corn. If fine plants are desired 

 only those bulbs showing a live centre-shoot should 

 be used. If the winter conditions have been favour- 

 able the bulbs will show a strong centre-shoot or 

 rolled-up leaf; where this has decayed or dried off 

 there will frequently be side-shoots which are worth 

 saving when the supply of bulbs is small, and which 

 will produce fair results, but for really good plants 

 the centre-shoot is necessary. 



