29 



for the latter, but on cutting them across we find that the 

 dry scales which surround them on the outside are not 

 followed by fleshy storage scales, all the food material 

 being stored in the thick solid stem which makes up the 

 bulk of the corm. In their growth and development, 

 however, they follow^ very closely the life history of the 

 bulb. Crocuses and Gladioli possess corms, while Lilies, 

 Tulips, Hyacinths and Daffodils have true bulbs. The 

 bud-like nature of bulbs can be clearly recognised by 

 examining the small sv^'ollen buds or bulbils which arise 

 on the aerial stems of certain species of Lily, and which, 

 though unable to give rise immediately to a new flower- 

 ing shoot, can gradually be grown on to produce in time 

 a mature bulb. 



R?/amers, such as are produced in the Strawberry and 

 Violet, are delicate lateral shoots creeping over the surface 

 of the soil and becoming readily rooted at their nodes 

 when in contact with the moist soil. In nature they cause 

 the very rapid spreading of these plants, and by the decay 

 of the portion of the stem w^iich joins them to the parent 

 plant they may cause the increase of individuals. They 

 are conveniently used for propagating purposes and 

 should always be removed from the parental stock as they 

 draw nutriment from it and therefore impoverish the latter, 

 with the result that they reduce the number of flowers. 



Many plants which do not possess natural means of 

 vegetative reproduction can be caused to give rise to new^ 

 individuals by separating certain portions, generally 

 lateral shoots, and inducing the same to develop new roots. 

 In some instances the formation of these roots is promoted 

 before the branch is separated from the plant ; this process 

 is known as layering. The lower branches of such shrubs 

 as Gooseberries and Red Currants may be bent down and 

 partially embedded in a shallow trench dug round the 

 bush, and filled with light and porous soil. When stimu- 

 lated by moisture the buried portions of these branches, 

 the tips of which must be allowed to project beyond the 

 trench, wdll produce what are termed adventitious roots, 

 and when these are sufiiciently well-established, the branch 

 may be severed from the parent plant, and the new 

 individual w^ll lead an independent existence. It is 

 generally found advisable to cut back the projecting por- 

 tion of the branch to two or three buds. This method 

 can also be em.ployed for Rhododendrons and for more 



