Rick, I think the scratch is the most likely cause. I've seen it before a few times. Even a tear along the edge might occasionally produce a bulblet. Bulblets formed this way have a lower percentage of survival if there are larger more demanding bulblets at the basil because the scale shrivels first at the top and then down the sides and toward the center as it is being consumed by the 'hogs' (as I call them). The 'runts' often parish in the process and go 'sight unseen' as if they never happened--unless of course, curiousity drives us to explore somewhere around mid term. Making intentional small cuts on the side of the scale will produce bulblets too, but I'd much rather have just a couple big, healthy bulblets than run the risk and handicap of many little ones.
I think the vigor inheirent to the hybrid may very well have something to do with it. Look at LAs for example. My gosh--anywhere a lose scale lands it grows. I just spotted one the other day growing a bulblet at the surface in the garden--in this climate and season? I covered it up out of sympathy, but I shouldn't have. I should have stepped on it but you and I both know that wouldn't have done any good.
How well fed the mother bulb was last year also has a lot to do with quantity and size of bulblets in all instances. And there are differences between cultivars of the same division as well. Some will only produce one or two bublets while others produce several. There are also differences in rate of development during a typical ten week incubation. Some are just plain slower than others. Every new batch is a new experience.
Calin, your scaling program is very interesting to me because I've never done it that way--nor have I ever seen it being done that way. By the way, you never did tell us what cultivar those scales are, did you? Just curious.
