WINTER BUDS 213 



flowers will fall before the leaf buds open* On the 

 Sugar Maple each terminal bud contains not only a 

 bunch of flowers, but several pairs of leaves folded 

 about them, the whole encased in compact scales and 

 thus securely guarded against the winter 's frosts. On 

 the sides of the twigs the more elongated buds hold 

 several pairs of leaves, and those more oval in form 

 hold bunches of flowers, to droop as they develop 

 and bring forth their familiar two-winged seeds. 



The Silver Birch can rank with the Beech in the 

 delicate tracery of its budded sprays, and its aspiring 

 trunk is conspicuous even against a background of 

 snow. Some of last year's empty seed cones are 

 always retained, and the male catkins for the coming 

 year, almost an inch in length, appear in conspicuous 

 bunches at the ends of the higher twigs. These 

 developed during the summer, but will remain 

 quiescent till next spring, when they will droop and 

 elongate, shedding their yellow pollen to the passing 

 wind. The fertile catkins are still snugly folded in the 

 rounded buds, ready to come forth with the leaves in 

 spring. The leaf buds are abundant and conspicuous 

 along the finer twigs. Each holds a pair of enfolded 

 leaves safely guarded from the winter and awaiting 

 the life-giving touch of spring. It is easily natural to 

 forget the passing of last year's life and vigour in 

 contemplating the new growth that fulfills the per- 

 petual law of succession. The death of the past is 

 essential to the life of the present. 



