PROPAGATION BY SEPARATION AND DIVISION 57 



Bulb of Lilium 

 candidum. 



those made up of more or less contin- 

 uous and close-fitting layers or plates, 

 as in the onion. 



Bulbs often break up or divide them- 

 selves into two or more nearly equal 

 portions, as in Lilium candidum, shown 

 one -third natural size in Fig. 42. The 

 parts may be separated and treated 

 as complete bulbs for purposes of prop- 

 agation. This division or separation of 

 bulbs proceeds in a different way in FlG - 42> 

 every species, yet it is so obvious that 

 the novice need not be perplexed by it. Almost any break- 

 ing apart of these loose bulbs, if only a "heart" or central axis 

 remains in each portion, is successful for purposes of slow 

 multiplication ; but when flowers are desired it is usually ad- 

 visable to keep the 

 bulbs as strong and 

 compact as possible. 



Bulbous plants mul- 

 tiply most easily by 

 means of bulbels - 

 often also called bulb- 

 ules or small bulbs 

 borne about a large or 

 mother-bulb. These 

 bulbels are sometimes 

 called offsets, but this 

 term is more properly 

 applied to more leafy 

 or sucker-like parts, 

 and to rosettes, as the 

 growths on a pineapple, 

 FIG. 43. Bulbels of tulip at s, A, s. the separates in house- 



