COBMS AND BOOTSTOCKS 359 



448a. Gardeners say that crocuses "lift out of the ground," 

 and they advise that the "bulbs" be taken up every two or three 

 years and replanted. Can the pupil suggest an explanation? 



449. If there were only one new corm formed 

 for every old one, the plant would not increase 

 itself. The picture shows corn;iels, or "spawn" ^ 

 as the gardeners say, arising from the base 

 of the mother -corm, much as offsets arise 

 from the house-leek (a. Fig. 376). If these 

 are removed and cared for, full-grown or 

 flowering corms may be obtained in one or 

 two years. 



, 450. We have found 

 (43, 44, 45) that the 

 early flower- 

 ing of trees 

 is made pos- 

 sible by the 

 maturation 

 of the bud '^'"'''- 



., Short rhizome of agrimony. 



m the pre- 

 vious season; and the twig stores up sufficient 

 nutriment to push out the flowers, and, in most 

 cases, even to start off the leafy growth. The 

 same is true of much of the early herb growth 

 of spring. In fall or winter, examine the roots 

 of any very early -starting plant and see if great 

 buds are not formed, ready to leap forth with the 



