,92 FIELD, FOREST AND FARM 



term being the diminutive form of ' bulb. ' Bulb and 

 bulblet differ merely in size : the bulb is larger, the 

 bulblet smaller, and that is all. 



"Every one has noticed that an onion hanging 

 on the wall ready at hand for the cook, is awakened 

 to life in the course of the winter by the heat of the 

 room, and from within its envelope of red scales 

 puts forth a beautiful green shoot that seems to pro- 

 test against the rigors of the season and reminds us 

 of the sweet pleasures of spring. As it develops, 

 its fleshy scales wrinkle, soften, become flabby, and 

 finally fall off in decay to serve as fertilizer for the 

 young plant. Sooner or later, however, its store of 

 provision being exhausted, the shoot perishes unless 

 placed in earth. There we have a striking example 

 of a bud that develops independently by means of its 

 own accumulated supplies. The leek is also a bulb, 

 but very slender in shape. Like the onion, it con- 

 sists of a cluster of lower leaf -parts sheathed one 

 inside another. Among ornamental plants having 

 bulbs are the lily, the tulip, and the hyacinth. ' ' 



