BULBOUS PLANTS. 117 



in Lilium, or partly formed by the bases of the leaves of the previous 

 season's growth, as in the Hyacinth and Onion. A Corm differs from a 

 bulb in having the interior part solid; examples, Crocus and Gladiolus. 

 A tuber is a swollen underground stem provided with latent buds, as in 

 the Potato. The thickened tuber-like roots of the Dahlia are simply 

 reservoirs of nutriment, and are known as tubercles. Terrestrial 

 Orchids supply numerous other examples. 



CALADIUM, FANCY=LEAVED There are several species and a great 

 many forms of these gaudy foliage plants. They are principally used to 

 fill the benches of the conservatory during the Summer mouths, when 

 most of the usual greenhouse plants are occupying their Summer quar- 

 ters out of doors. They are also used in bedding, and if the higher 

 colored forms are avoided, choosing those in which green and red pre- 

 dominate in the leaves, they will succeed well even in the full sun. A 

 goodly quantity of bone meal worked into the soil before planting will 

 make strong and well-colored leaves. 



Starting Tubers The first lot of tubers should be started about the 

 middle of February for conservatory decoration. They should first be 

 gone over carefully, and any that show signs of rotting at the bottoms 

 should have the decayed part cut or scraped off and dusted with pow- 

 dered charcoal. The under part of a Caladium tuber, after it has 

 reached a certain size, is more or less in a state of decay, but sometimes, 

 through being kept too wet, too dry, or in a too cold place, this natural 

 decay is hastened by rot, which, if not checked, will kill the tuber in a 

 short time. The white succulent roots start from the top part or neck 

 of the tuber, near the base of the leaf-bud, so this part must be covered 

 and kept in an evenly moist state to start them into growth. 1 find the 

 best conditions under which to start growth to be as follows: Take a 

 box 3 inches deep, put half an inch of moss in the bottom; put in the 

 bulbs close enough together so that at least half the space will be occu- 

 pied, then cover with moss to the top of the box. Have the moss 

 chopped so that the particles will fall easily from the roots previous to 

 potting. This operation may best be done when the roots are from one 

 to two inches long. A good soil should consist largely of leaf mould. As 

 the tubers send out their roots shortly after putting in the moss they 

 should be transferred to pots before the roots get too long, else they 

 will be injured in the operation. Pots should not be used of a size larger 

 than will hold the tubers and roots comfortably, without danger of 

 being bruised. The subsequent shifts should have a greater quantity of 

 loam with rotted cow manure added. For specimen plants do not cut 

 up the tubers, plant them whole. At the end of the season, as a rule, 

 they will have made quite as many easily detached tubers as if they had 

 been cut up in the Spring. 



C. argyrites The small-leaved kind called C. argyrites will be all the 

 more useful if not started too early, as It is most needed late in the 

 year. It keeps well among sawdust in paper bags. The tubers are so 

 small that several hundred can be put in a small bag. The tubers can 

 be increased at almost any time, even when the plants are in full growth, 



