rTTAPTEK TV 

 BUDS 



Any study of pomolo^^v must bf preceded by iiKiuirics in 

 botany. In sue'h studies the ])oniolofrieal student should have 

 l)repared himself esi)eeially as to the nature and funetion of 

 buds. Wliat are ])uds? How distinguish the several kinds? 

 How are they borne? What the funetions? With these ques- 

 tions unanswered it is impraetieable for the student in pomolo^' 

 to proeeed. The brief discussion of buds in this chapter is to 

 remind ratlier than to inform the student as to the parts i>layed 

 by buds in produeing" fruits. Some applieations of the botany 

 of buds to pomology may give the chapter new meaning and 

 interest. 



35. A bud defined. — A hud is an undeveloped shoot. It con- 

 sists of a very short stem bearing few or many leaves, packed 

 closely one above another, wliieh grows into a shoot agi'eeing in 

 structure with the plant producing the bud. Thus, a bud may 

 be considered an individual, proof of which is found in the liorti- 

 cultural operation of hndding in which a bud from one plant 

 is inserted under the bark in contact with the caml)ium of 

 another individual to reproduce a shoot of its kind. Biid-scales 

 are modified leaves which protect the bud. The buds of fruit- 

 plants are provided with a series of overlapping bud-scales. 

 These serve to protect the bud against extremes of heat, cold, 

 and moisture and in some cases are food storehouses. Green 

 tissue is not required for these functions and bud-scales are 

 usually brownish husk-like structures without the green of true 

 leaves. The bud-scales of some plants, the black currant among 

 fruits, are covered with hairs or glands wdiich excrete viscid 

 resins giving off odors so distinctive as to characterize the species. 

 The protective scales of some buds are covered with woolly 

 pubescence which may prevent rapid changes in temperature in 

 the bud. 



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