CHAPTER XXX 



8UMMEK.-FLOWEBING BULBS IN THE OPEN 



THE amateur gardener is often apt to get into a rut and to 

 become the victim of routine, especially in regard to bulbs. 

 He appears to imagine that bulbs are peculiarly adaptable 

 to autumn planting and spring flowering, whereas if he would 

 extend his field of operations a little he would find that there is 

 an excellent range of bulbous subjects which can be planted in 

 spring and which will produce a wealth of flowers and foliage in 

 the height of summer. 



And here perhaps it should be explained that hitherto in refer- 

 ring to bulbs I have used the term loosely and unscientifically. 

 For the sake of convenience, it is a common practice to include 

 within the scope of the comprehensive word, " bulb," all kinds of 

 tuberous and bulbous plants that, strictly speaking, should be 

 classified under separate headings such as bulbs, corms and 

 tubers. It may, therefore, be well to explain wherein these 

 classes differ one from the other 



Among the commonest types of the true bulb are the hyacinth, 

 the tulip, the narcissus and the lily. The bulb is built up of 

 fleshy scales, rolled round each other as hi the hyacinth, and 

 overlapping as in the lily. It is the duty of these scales, which 

 are in reality modified leaves, to store and keep in reserve the 

 food which shall support the embryo stem and flowers contained 

 within the bulb, until, by the process of root formation, a fresh 

 source of supply has been obtained wherewith to meet the needs 

 of the developing stem and its burden of blossom. The leaves in 

 their turn will perform the important function of transf orming and 

 communicating to the scales fresh supplies of food which will be 

 stored in readiness for another season of flowering, and it is for 

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