418 TElXSACnONS AST) PEOCEEDIXGS OF THE [Sess. lis. 



Secondary branches arise in the axils of the leaves borne 

 on the primary branches, and these in their turn bear 

 similar leaves, but, as a rule, tertiary branches are not 

 formed though they occasionally develop in particularly 

 strong plants. 



Every leaf which bears a branch in its axil, whether on 

 the main stem or the primary branches, bears also a small 

 accessory bud placed directly below the axillary branch and 

 completely enclosed by the vagina, which persisting after 

 the leaf has fallen off, protects it from external injury. 

 This accessory bud, however, does not develop under 

 normal conditions, but enters on active growth only when 

 the axillary bud of the same leaf is seriously injured or 

 destroyed. Xo flowers appear on the primary axis or its 

 branches during the first year of the plant's existence. 



During the late summer and early autumn of the first 

 year, the subterranean parts of the plant, but especially 

 the hj'pocotyl, become considerably enlarged owing to the 

 storage in them of reserve materials ; during the same period 

 the cotyledouary node is drawn below the surface of the 

 soil, and the buds in the axils of the cotyledons have 

 increased considerably in size. These buds, if examined 

 towards the end of autumn, will be seen to consist of a 

 number of scales, each composed of the vagina and stipules 

 of a leaf, the petiole and lamina of which are either absent 

 or only developed in the most rudimentary manner. 



These leaf organs, which are in general colourless and 

 membranous, are placed alternately to right and left of the 

 bud, and in strong plants one or more secondary buds may 

 be observed in the axils of the lower scale leaves. These 

 exactly resemble the primary buds, and may in their turn 

 bear tertiary buds in the axils of their lower scales. 



During late autumn the whole of the aerial branching 

 system of the plant dies down to the level of the ground, 

 leaving only the subterranean hypocotyl and root system, 

 with the above-mentioned cotyledouary buds, to persist 

 during the winter. 



During the following spring these various buds elongate 

 into shoots, which rise into the air and bear leaves arranged 

 in a ^- spiral. In the axil of each leaf is to be found an 

 axillary bud with a smaller accessory one, placed vertically 



