Growth of Buds and Branches 



37 



spring's flowering time. The furry coats on the scales will pro- 

 tect the little flowers from the hot suns and drying winds of 



summer, and when winter rains come 

 they will do excellently for storm 

 cloaks until it is time for the long 

 feathery tassels to burst forth. So 

 long have they been storing food, 

 that no wonder spring comes with a 

 "burst". On the main branch, Fig. 41, are the scars of last 

 year's leaves, ^, and just above each one a scar tells where 

 this year's flower-stalks were borne. Just above these scars 

 at the end of the branch c was a bud covered with scales. After 

 the flower-buds burst, this bud began to grow. When the 

 scales fell away they left narrow scars close together. By these 

 scars we may tell how much growth has taken place in a 

 season. The branch at the left has four flower-buds, and a 

 bud at the end to continue the growth. The ring of scars at 

 the base shows that a bud was there last year. 



The oak branch in Fig. 42 began its growth this year at a. 



