36 Plants and their Ways in So7ith Africa 



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 are the scars of last year's leaves, ^, and 

 just above each one a scar tells where this year's flower-stalks 



Poplar fringes, staminate catkins. 



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 to- 

 gether. 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. 

 The leaves unfolded along the branch above about the same 

 time that the catkins were hanging their pink-and-green tassels 

 of flowers at ^, c. The branch a-h rested in its growth until the 

 acorns had "set" just below. After they were well formed, 



