16 



Effective Farming 



the apex of the stem, as in the top, or bulb-bearing, onion. A 

 corm is similar to a bulb, except that it is not composed of scales. 

 The food for the new plant is deposited in the thickened stem. 

 The crocus and cyclamen, flowering plants, are propagated 

 by planting the corms. A tuber is an underground stem that 



is provided with buds, or eyes. 

 The white potato produces 

 tubers and, by planting pieces 

 of these, potatoes are propa- 

 gated. Each piece should 

 contain at least one eye and 

 most gardeners prefer to plant 

 two. The portion of the tuber 

 planted acts as food for the 

 new plant until it is able to 

 take nourishment from the soil. 

 The parts of the white potato 

 plant are shown in Fig. 3. 



Fleshy roots. Sweet pota- 

 toes are usually propagated by 

 placing the roots, or potatoes, 

 in soil in hot-beds. By reason 

 of the heat in the bed, buds 

 form and develop into sprouts 

 and these, called slips or draws, 

 are pulled off and planted. 

 Sweet potatoes also are some- 

 times propagated by vine cut- 

 ting, as described later. 

 Herbaceous cuttings. Plants such as the geranium, coleus, 

 begonia, and heliotrope are propagated by means of herbaceous 

 cuttings. A cutting is a detached part of the plant that will 

 take root when placed in soil, sand, or water. Later it can 

 be transplanted. Herbaceous cuttings are usually made from 

 the stem with a few leaves attached, but in the case of the 



FIG. 3. Parts of the white potato 

 plant. 



