68 EECOKD OF HORTICULTURE. 



proved by examining that portion of the stem which is 

 buried in the soil, where we find that at the point where 

 there would have been leaves, if above ground, there are 

 now perfect bulbs. The position of the bulbs on the stem 

 shown in fig. 7 clearly proves this fact, for by detaching 

 them we find that peculiar mark which is always ob- 

 served where a leaf has been attached — fig. 7, c. We 

 have counted no less than eighteen bulbs formed in one 

 season on a flower stem above the old bulb and below the 

 surface of the soil. Therefore the deeper the bulb is 

 planted, the more young bulbs will be formed on the flower 

 stem, because the more leaf-buds will be covered. The 

 depth must not be too great, especially in heavy soils, for 

 in that case the flower stem will not be able to push 

 through the soil, and all will be lost. Three inches in 

 heavy soils and four to six in light will be suflScient. The 

 young bulbs formed on the flower stems should be remov- 

 ed every fall and planted out by themselves. A common 

 garden trowel is a convenient implement to remove the 

 soil from around the stems, so that the young bulbs may 

 be detached without injuring the old bulb. 



The formation of bulbs at the junction of the leaves, on 

 the flower stem, must have been aften noticed by every 

 one who has cultivated the old Tiger Lily. But in this 

 species they are more abundant above ground than below ; 

 in fact, every leaf produces one or more small bulbs at its 

 base ; but we have never observed a bulb on the flower 

 stem of any of the L. speciosum varieties, except as we 

 liave stated, viz., below the surface of the soil. Other 

 species of the Lily liave bulbs of quite a diflTerent structure 



