BULBOUS FLOWERS 



105 



How to Procure Healthy Cuttings. Old tubers should be taken, 

 similar to the clump shown in Fig. 10, No. i, and placed carefully in 

 rather deep boxes, as shown in Fig. 10, No. 2. The horizontal line in 

 Fig. 10, No. i denotes the depth to bury the tubers in the soil in the 

 boxes. Put a few crocks over the holes in the bottom of the boxes, and 

 use as a compost loam, sifted, two parts ; leaf-soil, one part ; and sand, 

 one part. A, drainage ; B, tubers. At this season good positions for the 

 starting of the new growths are in a frame on a mild hot-bed, on a stage 

 in a warm greenhouse, or on a high shelf near the glass in an intermediate 

 temperature. If the first shoots which appear are very spindly, remove 

 them and wait for the second batch. When those forming the second 



FIG. II. Method of taking Cuttings and the subsequent Treatment. 



batch are rooted, a third lot will probably be available, and, if the varieties 

 are scarce, further propagation may take place. 



Division of Roots. Fig. 10, No. 3 shows a detached part of a cluster 

 of tubers. The extreme point is cut off simply to admit of the tuber being 

 well placed in a rather small flower-pot. 



How to Insert Cuttings and Tubers. Fig. n, No. 4 shows a young 

 shoot detached from the old tuber, with a heel portion adhering. Jf the 

 cultivator wishes to have more cuttings from the same tubers, he must 

 not cut with a heel, but sever the stem i inch away from the tuber. 



Prepare the cutting by severing it immediately below a joint and 

 remove the two basal leaves, as denoted by the three dark lines drawn 

 on the stem and leaf-stalks in Fig. n, No. 4. Insert the cutting with 

 plenty of coarse sand round the stem and base, as shown in Fig. n, 

 No. 5. Use a good sandy compost, but not one with manure in it. 

 Fig. n, No. 6 shows how the cultivator must pot a divided tuber. 



