PROPAGATION BY SEPARATION AND DIVISION 67 



way as bulbs. The crown or "pip" of 

 the lily-of-the-valley, shown in Fig. 56, 

 is treated in this way. 



Rootstocks may be divided into as 

 many parts as there are eyes or buds, 

 and each part is then treated as an in- 

 dependent plant. Familiar examples of 

 such division are the common practices 

 of multiplying rhubarb and canna. A 

 canna rootstock, or "stool," is seen in 

 Fig. 57. The observer is looking down 

 on the top of the stool; and the five 

 pieces show how the operator has divided 

 it. The two lower pieces on the left show 

 the remains of the flower-stalks of the 

 previous year. If the variety were very 

 scarce, some of these pieces could be 

 again divided into two or three. 



FIG. 57. Canna stool, divided into five plants. 



FIG. 56. Lily-of-the-valley 

 crown. 



Nearly all 

 perennial herbs 

 may be mul- 

 tiplied with 

 more or less 

 readiness by 

 simply divid- 

 ing the crowns. 

 Most bushes 

 may be sim- 

 ilarly treated, 

 as lilacs, many 

 roses, spireas 

 and the like. 

 The general 



