CORMS AND CORMELS 



211 



by each plant, but frequently bulbs divide themselves into 

 two or more equal portions, each of which may separate 

 and become a complete bulb. This method, however, 

 is too slow if one desires to multiply them very rapidly. 



Bulbels. Small bulbs generally develop around the large 

 " mother'' bulb. These are called bulbels and may be 

 separated and planted by them- 

 selves. Some plants do not pro- 

 duce bulbels freely, but they can 

 be induced to do so by wounding 

 or mutilating the " mother " 

 bulb. This method of propaga- 

 tion is resorted to in propagat- 

 ing a large stock of a new variety. 

 Bulbels may be treated as ma- 

 tured bulbs although they will 

 seldom flower the first year. In 

 fact, most bulbels require two or 

 three seasons to reach sufficient 

 size to form large flowers. This 

 is the method by which hyacinths 

 are propagated in Holland. 



A Bulblet is a small bulb borne entirely above ground 

 in the axils of the leaves as in the tiger lily, or at the top 

 of a stem as in the " top " onion. 



Conns and Cormels. Conns are produced quite simi- 

 larly to bulbs but differ from them in being solid through- 

 out. The food here is deposited in the thickened stem. 

 Small corms or cormels are developed similarly to bulbels 

 and the corm may also be mutilated in the same manner 

 as bulbs to induce the formation of cormels. The crocus, 

 gladiolus, and caladium are corm-producing plants. 



Fig. 115. Corm of gladiolus with 

 cormels attached. 



