HYACINTH CULTURE AT HAARLEM 139 



the seed are not unlike a fruit. It is first covered by a strong 

 black skin, and under this a fleshy substance. This contains 

 an almond, within which is enclosed the germ ; this develops 

 in the same manner as in the seeds of all plants that are called 

 by botanists " one lobed " or " monocotyledon." During 

 growth this almond part of the seed detaches itself from its 

 wraps. 



When the grain is put into the ground in the month of 

 October it swells, and the germ, piercing through the pericarp 

 or fleshy part of the seed, begins to develop itself. The 

 little leafy shoot which pushes upward is the part that 

 botanists call the plumule, and the part which pushes from 

 the central axis (or plantule) is called the radicle or little 

 root. During the first year the little root is always tuberous 

 or knotted. It does not yet draw sap from the earth. It is 

 generally agreed among botanists that the plumule and 

 radicle (the plant and little root) at this stage draw their 

 nourishment from the cotyledon or seed-lobe, to which they 

 are still joined. This lobe goes on nourishing the plant till 

 the bulb has already taken form, and takes in nourishment 

 from the earth (through its base). 



The thin round leaf-shoot which comes up remains bent 

 a whole year before it has gained sufficient strength to rise 

 straight. The first year the root is only a thin thread ; 

 sometimes it grows very long and is full of knots, then it is 

 organically diseased, and the bulb will be very weak and 

 worthless. They often die when the root is thus deformed. 

 To make a well-formed bulb the root should have only one 

 knot at the place where it comes from the seed ; upon this 

 the bulb forms itself. At first it is composed of a single tunic, 

 and this tunic is joined and completely closed on all sides. 



At the end of one year (after sowing the seed), if the 

 bulb were taken up, one would find this tunic lined with two 

 other tunics exactly like it. 



