ON PLANT PROPAGATION. 



949 



The term "tuber" is widely applied to several fleshy tuber 

 like roots, such as Dahlias, &c., but this is incorrect, for if 

 those roots were cut into pieces, they would not give a new 

 plant unless a shoot of the crown were attached to them. On 

 proper tubers the eyes, or buds, are found all round them. 



Stolons, or Runners, are a kind of branches, arising mostly 

 from the base of the stock plant, remaining, in most cases, on 

 the ground or soil and rooting at their tips, the tips finally 

 forming another plant, which soon thrives by itself. Stolons are 

 » chiefly found in Ferns — e.g., in Nephrolepis, the stolons of 

 which are abundantly produced. Offsets, such as are found in 

 Sempervivums, are sometimes considered as very short stolons. 

 Runners are really very slender stolons or filiferous branches or 

 stems, rooting at their ends, and which when separated and 

 transplanted form as many plants in ground that has been well 

 prepared and manured. This is the commonest mode of propa- 

 gation used for the Strawberry. Some Saxifrag es, as S. sarme?itosa, 

 are also easily propagated by this method. 



Rhizomes. — A rhizome may be described as a kind of stem of 

 root-like appearance, found on or under the ground, and sending 

 out numerous rootlets, while its extremity or apex sends up 

 herbaceous stems. Rhizomes, runners, or stolons grow very 

 quickly, and if the parent plant is in good growth these root- 

 like parts are constantly on the move. Numerous, also, are 

 the plants propagated by division of their rhizomes, e.g., 

 Hedychiums, Polymnias, Cannas, Irises, &c. Fig. 616, showing 

 surface rhizomes 

 of the German 

 Iris, explains 

 how easily this 

 propagation may 

 be performed 

 The rhizome in 

 Fig. 616 may 

 be cut into as 

 many pieces as 

 are required, 

 allowing, of 

 course, at least 

 one eye, or 

 growth, to each 

 piece ; and the 

 same applies to 

 the other species 



mentioned. The divisions may be planted in pots or in beds, 

 and when sufficiently strong should receive the same treatment 

 as established plants. Several of the Gesneracece have a kind of 



