58 



EPICORMIC BRANCHES 



[CH. 



Such a bud, so long as it retains its original vascular 

 connection with the wood of the parent shoot-axis 

 (Fig. 14 1 w'), may go on living for many years, elongating 

 just sufficiently to keep its head above the outer surface 

 of the axis, as shown in the diagram (Fig. 14 il), where 

 we see the branch has now put on 19 annual rings 

 of wood in addition to the first year's wood of the shoot 

 (W in Fig. 14 1). 



i 



per 



Fig. 14. Diagrams of longitudinal sections through a branch and 

 its dormant bud, in the 1st and 20th years respectively. B the bud; 

 W the wood ; w' connection of bud with wood ; per periderm ; C coxtex ; 

 P pith. 



So long as the powerful and increasing system of 

 branches above this bud retains its dominance over the 

 supplies of food-materials, the general flow of the latter 

 will pass by the bud B and its vascular connections w', 

 and it will be as much as the latter can do to just keep 

 the bud alive and permit of its slow growth necessary to 

 keep its head at the surface ; and, of course, it may 

 happen at any time that further deficiencies in the 



