64 HORTICULTURE FOR SCHOOLS 



planting of portions of the roots with a part of the top 

 attached. 



97. Tuber. The distinction between a tuber and tuberous 

 roots should be borne in mind. The latter is a root proper, 

 but a tuber is a thickened underground stem, such as in the 

 potato and Jerusalem artichoke. The so-called eyes of the 

 tuber are really buds, which, when removed with a portion 

 of the tuber and planted, are capable of producing new plants 

 as described under cuttings. 



98. Bulbs and corms. Bulbs are modified buds. Plants 

 which produce bulbs generally have a short growing season 

 and a long dormant season. Bulbs are divided into two 

 classes: scaly bulbs, which have narrow and usually fleshy 

 scales, loosely arranged, as in lilies; and tunicate or lam- 

 inate bulbs having broad scales closely fitting, as in the 

 onion. 



Bulbous plants produce small bulbs at the bases or tops of 

 the parent bulbs, or among the bulb scales. They are propa- 

 gated artificially by removing the small bulbs (bulbels) and 

 planting them at the proper time. Even 

 the thick fleshy scales of some bulbs may 

 be made to grow by being removed and 

 treated like single-eye cuttings. 



Small bulbs, usually called bulblets, are 

 sometimes formed on the stems of plants 

 in the axils of the leaves, as in the tiger 

 lily, or in the flower-clusters, as in the 

 onion. Bulblets may be planted in the 

 same manner as the ordinary bulbs. 

 dioiua g ro^SgaboSt The bulb of the hyacinth and some other 



old corm. Notice the . , , , , 



cormeis at the base of plants may be made to produce, by 

 wounding, more small bulbs than would 

 otherwise be the case. 



Corms (Fig. 38) are. solid bulbs having rings of compact 

 tissue instead of scales. The Indian turnip, gladiolus, and 



