A SPOTTED ORCHIS. 



enshrined in the Greek word "orchid" 

 which everybody now applies to them with- 

 out thinking for a moment of its unsavoury 

 meaning. But the two tubers are not of 

 the same age. One is old and wilted ; the 

 other is young and fresh, and, as the 

 advertisements say, "still growing." The 

 first is last year's reserve-fund for this year's 

 flowering stem ; the second is this year's 

 storehouse of food for next year's blossom. 

 Thus each season depends for its flowers 

 upon the previous year's income ; the leaves, 

 which are the mouths and stomachs of the 

 plants, lay by material in due season ; and 

 the spike of bells proceeds from the tubers 

 or consolidated reserve-fund as soon as the 

 summer is sufficiently advanced for the 

 process of flowering. Few plants with 

 handsome heads or trusses of bloom, indeed, 

 can afford to produce them upon the current 

 season's income ; therefore you will find 

 that most large-flowered forms, like lilies, 

 tulips, hyacinths, and daffodils, if they wish 



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