VI 
WINTER 
already quoted, as can be seen by growing a 
hyacinth in a glass of water. The true roots 
soon begin to grow and fill the glass. Potatoes 
are not really the roots of the plant, although 
they are dug up from the ground. The fine 
fibres are the roots, the part that is eaten 
being really a thickened stem. The marks 
called “ eyes ” often sprout if the potatoes are 
stored in a damp, dark place, and show they 
a , bud of next year’s growth ; b, c, e, scars from former years’ growth ; w, roots. 
are really like leaf - shoots. In some plants 
parts of the stem called “rhizomes” creep 
along underground, and the small fibrous roots 
are thrown out from them, which go deeper 
into the ground, while fresh leaves shoot out 
and grow upwards from the rhizomes. The 
lily of the valley is a plant of this kind. Bam¬ 
boos behave in the same way. The straight 
canes which are used as walking - sticks and 
umbrella handles are the stems which grow 
upwards ; the knotted or twisted parts which 
