Figure 6. Tulip Bulb, longitudinal Figure 7. Lily Bulb, longitudinal section, 
section. F. Solid stem. B. Flow- F. Solid stem. B. Bud. S. Scale leaf 
er bud. S. Scale leaf. (Storage St. Last year’s flower and leaf stalk, 
leaf). P. Prop root. 
bulbous, flowering plants are very popular, due largely to the 
fact that they are easy of culture; but somewhat, perhaps, to 
their comparative certainty of blossoming. There is no other 
class of plants which has more charming blooms. 
During the resting period, most bulbs, after they are planted, 
are placed in the dark and the cold. The Cape bulbs, however, 
such as freesia, oxalis and ixia, should not be stored in the dark, 
but must have a light, cool place in which to start growth. At this 
time, the nourishment stored in the body of the bulb, should be 
sufficient to produce good root growth, and later to supply the 
leaves and blossoms themselves. Because of the great amount of 
stored food withdrawn from a potted bulb to supply the new growth 
there is little reserve left after the blossoming period, and so 
these bulbs, after having been once planted indoors, are of no 
value for a second indoor planting. This is not true of bulbs 
planted in the open, for in this case the green leaves are well ex- 
posed to an abundance of air and sunlight, and thus, 
using the energy derived from the sunlight, they are en- 
abled to manufacture a fresh supply of food materials out of the 
elements supplied by the soil and air. The larger part of these 
elements, the carbon, is derived from the air.* As fast as this 
food is made, some of it is used for the immediate needs of the 
plant, while the remainder passes down into the bulb, where part 
of it is used in the formation of the new leaves and flowers, and 
the remainder stored up for the nourishment of these new parts 
*The process bv which green leaves manufacture food, when properly ex- 
posed to sunlight, is described more fully in Lfaflet No. 8, of this series. 
