358 



LUSSONS WITff PLANTS 



446. If one were to pull the water -weeds from 

 the drift on the margins of lakes and ponds in 

 late fall, he would find many of the strands with 

 large bud-like bodies at the ends (Figs. 374, 375). 

 These buds drop to the bottom of the pond, and 

 in spring vegetate and give rise to new plants. 



Suggestions. — Horticulturists raise onions in four ways : by 

 sowing the seed; by planting bulblets (Pig. 371); by "multipliers," 

 which are bulbs that break up into several bulbs during the pro- 

 cess of growth; by sets, which are small bulbs that have been pur- 

 posely arrested in their growth the previous year (by sowing seed 

 in dry ground and allowing the plants to stand very close together) 

 and which, when planted, complete their growth and become mer- 

 chantable bulbs. 



LXIX. CORMS AND ROOTSTOCKS 



447. True bulbs are made 

 up of scales. But there are 

 certain bulb -like bodies which 

 are solid throughout. The 

 gladiolus has them (Fig. 376). 

 These are corms. 



448. The corm which was 

 planted in the spring is shown 

 at the bottom (C). It has 

 become hard and lifeless, and 

 a new large corm has formed 



above it, with roots of its own. 



Fig. 376. 

 Conn of gladiolus. 



