buds — the fruit-])nd and tlie leaf -bud. AVliile the apples are grow- 

 ing this year the tree is making fruit-buds for next year's crop. 



Careful microscopic observation has shown that the development of 

 the fruit-bud bei^ins a short time before the formation of the terminal 

 bud. The terminal bud marks the close of the season's growth. The 

 storing of the wood and fruit-buds with food follows, after the annual 

 extension of wood has taken place. Should the leaf factories stop 

 working as soon as wood growth is iinished the logical result is that 

 tiie fruit and wood-l)uds will not receive their share of prepared food. 

 Let us then watch closely tlie relation between healthy leaves and 

 the development of f ruit-lnids. It sometimes happens that a canker 

 worm raid in June takes half the leaves from an apple orchard. 

 What eifect will this have on the crop of the following year ? The 

 importance of healthy leaves cannot be overestimated They mean 

 wood growth and fruit production. Without these the orchard is 

 an unproiitable investment. Good leaves are secured by good til- 

 lage, intelligent pruning and careful spraying. These things will be 

 discussed in future lessons. 



Tlie lesson of the tree. — First, the tr^^e is a thing of life; it is 

 composed of cells, active and inactive, of living and "dead'' parts, 



of roots, stems and 

 lu-anches, all of which 

 form a cooperative or- 

 ganism. Second, the tree 

 grows vigorously and 

 produces alnmdantly, in 

 proportion to the, ease 

 with wliich it is able to 

 secure food from the soil 

 and air. There is a part- 

 nershi]) between the 

 roots and the leaves. 

 Tlie soil food may be 



9.— An elm planted hy grandfather is now part of tjver so abundant and 



the home. available, l)ut if blight 



or bugs destroy the leaves, it cannot be made use of by the plant. 



362 



