THE FLOWER 223 



material is necessary for the production of Jlowers. The 

 former shoots have far more storage tissue than the hitter ; 

 the development of the parenchymatous pith and cortex as 

 compared with the woody cylinder being very much greater 

 in the former. This is most conspicuously the case in the 

 development of the so-called " pouches " in some varieties of 

 pears, in which the spur is very short and almost succulent, 

 and has only half as much woody tissue as a leafy shoot of 

 the same age. 



In forcing shrubs and trees, therefore, it is quite a rational 

 procedure to place the plants in pots quite a year before 

 the forcing begins, and to nourish them very plentifully, but 

 to begin to reduce the water supply towards the end of the 

 summer. In consequence of the gradually occurring drought, 

 the autumn rest and fall of leaves occurs at an earlier period, 

 and the changes which take place in the cells during the 

 resting period are as far advanced at the commencement of the 

 winter as they would be under ordinary circumstances in the 

 next spring. The withholding of water in such a treatment 

 prevents the use of the assimilated food substance for the 

 growth of new shoots and causes it to be stored up near the 

 buds. 



The success in the cultivation of bulbs also depends upon 

 a period of dryness occurring at the proper time. A dainp 

 spring will cause the production of strong foliage in a well- 

 manured soil, and an early, dry, and warm summer following 

 upon this will prevent the leaves from growing too long, and 

 will cause the production of a large number of flowering buds. 

 If the summer continues dry, so that the leaves fade soon and 

 the bulbs ripen well, then we shall have richly flowering 

 hyacinths, tulips, &c., which will lend themselves to forcing. 

 The very copious manuring which has more recently been 

 applied to the growing and flowering bulbs does nothing more 

 than cause a luxuriant development of the flowers which are 

 already formed, but will not cause the production of a greater 

 number. Weak flowering buds, which, if badly nourished, 

 would not open, will freely expand if the plants are well 

 manured. 



The use of manures will be beneficial for the solution of the 



