jg6 FORMATION OF THE WINTER LEAF BUD. 



chestnut : but it should be taken in November or Decem- 

 ber. Several different midribs may be taken at once from 

 the same leaf bud, with an innumerable number of silken 

 vessels extremely tine, fastened, or growing up each side the 

 midrib. When these have interlaced each other sufficiently, 

 the , abulum will begin to grow over them, in small blad- 

 ders full of a water) juice. The next process is the larger 

 vessels cross ng over them, and then another row of blad- 

 ders; this continuing till the leaf is at its proper thickness. 

 The leaves thus formed are very small, but when once their 

 shape is completed, they then continue growing all together. 

 A drawing will so much better explain -this than any de- 

 scription, that I shall beg leave to refer to the sketch of the 

 several specimens of beginning or half formed leaves taken 

 out of the buds of various trees. 

 Mode of ar Yv'hen the leaves are so far completed, the rolling and 



ranging the folding begins. Ivach t ee has its peculiar mode of Strang? 

 bud. * * n » * ts ^eavtir-, in the bud, as Linneus beautifully exempli- 



fies, some doable theii leases, abd h ii roll them round one 

 midnb ; s-ome round several, each of which has its own mid- 

 dle vessel ; some plait, some fold the leal. The variety is 

 prodigious ; but it must not be supposed, that once is suf- 

 ficient to complete the process', 1 have had the most thorough 

 conviction, that it is repeated several times, immersed all the 

 while in the glulinous liquor, that runs in the bark, and 

 forms the pabulum. During this arrangement, the pressure 

 of the leaves is very great ; and it is this and the rolling, 

 that completes thtm ; for if a leaf is taken from the bud, 

 before this process, ii will be like u piece of cloth before it 

 is dressed; that is, with all the ends and knots to it; thus 

 the back of the leaf wiil be obscured by the ends of 

 vessel, w ich are at last a I rubbed off, the hairs excepted, 

 which remain to many plants. 

 yonmtion of The next process is the forming the edges of the leaves, 



theedgeof the the most curious and the most beautiful of all. The bud, 

 leaf 



if opened, will appear full of that glutinous liquor, and the 



le-ives folded according to the order to which they belong. 

 Take out one of. them, and tiie edges, folded as it is, wiil 

 exhibit a perfect double row of buboies lollow ng the scol- 

 lop of the leaf's edge, and appearing as ii set with brilliants, 



J hardly 



