52 DISEASES AND INSECTS. 



to light and heat soon after planting, and before they have 

 had time to put forth roots. As there are no roots to draw 

 nourishment from the earth, the bulb is thrown upon its 

 own resources, and the leaves and flower are produced at 

 the expense of the nutriment already laid up in the scales 

 of the bulb. There is no power or strength to throw up a 

 foot-stalk, and the flowers half expand down in the bulb. 

 Often, in such cases, we find, in the course of time, the 

 withered flowers elevated on a long foot-stalk ; showing that, 

 as soon as sufiicient roots were matured, the bulb did all 

 that was necessary to produce a fine flower. 



This same premature flowering sometimes occurs, even 

 where there are plenty of roots, if the room where the plants 

 are grown is subject to great variations of temperature. 

 Where this is the case, the simple remedy of a more 

 equable temperature, and more air, will produce satisfac- 

 tory results. 



It sometimes happens that a bulb will develop flowers 

 on a short foot-stalk, in spite of every care. This may be 

 the effect of too much direct sun and heat, or may be a 

 defect in the bulb. An easy course of treatment is to make 

 a cylinder of card-board, stiff brown paper, or some other 



