CHAPTER II 



PROPAGATION BY SEPARATION, DIVISION, AND 

 LAYERAGE 



Propagation by Separation. Many plants accustomed 

 to long periods of inactivity form specialized buds that 

 are provided with an abundant food supply, which enables 

 them to withstand adverse conditions and later to develop 

 into plants. These buds break away from the parent 

 plant and after being detached are able to live a separate 

 existence. These specialized buds are 

 classified as bulbs, bulbels, bulblets, 

 corms, and cormels. Propagation by 

 means of these buds is called separation. 

 A Bulb is a short stem containing a 

 terminal bud surrounded by thickened 

 leaves called bulb scales. These thick- 

 ened leaves are stored with plant food 

 which maintains the plant until it is 

 able to manufacture and digest its own 

 food. There are two special classes of 

 bulbs : (i) the scaly bulbs, as those of 

 the Easter lily (Fig. 114), made up of bulb scales that are 

 narrow, thick, and loose, and (2) the laminate bulbs com- 

 posed of close-fitting thin layers, as in the onion. 



Bulbs are generally formed just beneath the surface of 

 the ground. Sometimes but one large bulb is produced 



210 



lb, showing bulb 



scales. 



