10 TYPICAL BUD [CH. 



when cut for the table ; but it should be noticed that the 

 following statements apply generally to any bud. On 

 carefully removing the older leaves, beginning from the 

 outside, we find them more or less tightly folded over one 

 another, and over a point near the centre of the mass, 

 which is found on examination to be the termination of 

 the stem. The outermost leaves are attached lower down 

 on this axis than the inner ones, and they are also larger 

 than the latter : moreover they are more loosely wrapped 

 over the inner leaves, and if the Lettuce or Cabbage has 

 been cut rather low down, the most external leaves of all 

 may be already expanded, or in process of expanding, and 

 throwing themselves back and off from the central parts 

 of the bud, as it were, so that their uppermost surface is 

 no longer in contact with the more solid mass of young 

 leaves inside. A little closer observation will show that 

 the parts of the stem between the leaf-insertions i.e. the 

 places where leaves and axis join of these outer older 

 leaves are not only thicker than those higher up, but 

 have also grown longer so as to drive these leaf-insertions 

 further apart : in other words, distinct internodes can be 

 seen here. 



As we proceed with the dissection, however, the leaves 

 will be found more and more closely packed one over the 

 other, and smaller and smaller as we penetrate the interior 

 or " heart " of the Cabbage : they also are curved inwards, 

 and their concave surfaces are applied more and more 

 closely to those internal to them ; and, lastly, they are 

 more and more delicate in texture, because they are 

 younger and less matured. 



As we continue to remove leaf after leaf, we at length 

 arrive at the small delicate end of the stem, which was 

 entirely arched over and closely covered up by the inner 

 leaves ; while the part of the axis which we have exposed 



