22 WHAT ARE BULBS? 



The flower may also be upon the same stalk with the 

 foliage, as ia the well-known crown imperial {Frittelaria 

 imperialis) and many other well-known bulbs. In fact, 

 these peculiarities are infinite ; and it is to these little differ- 

 ences that we owe much of the pleasure we derive in the 

 culture of flowers. A new interest is constantly upspringing 

 in the mind ; and the love of Nature insensibly intwines 

 around the soul, until it becomes a part of our nature. 



As we have seen that each bulb has its season of rest, it 

 would follow that all bulbs should, during that season, have 

 nothing to excite their dormant powers and to urge them to 

 growth. With most bulbs, this is afforded by taking them 

 out of the earth, and preserving them in a perfectly dry 

 place, or with many bulbs grown in pots by withholding 

 water", and " drying them off." 



Bulbs which preserve an evergreen foliage are, of course, 

 never wholly " dried off;" but water is given very sparingly, 

 and only enough to keep the leaves from fading and the 

 bulbs from shrivelling. 



Care must always be taken, in drying off bulbs, not to 

 dry them up, as thus many small bulbs perish. The bulbs 

 must be kept fresh and plump, but not excited to growth. 

 The degree of dryness each species or variety will bear is 



