THE BUDS MAY NOT GROW 



53 



85. The branching is crooked 

 and irregular. 



are suppressed. Branches 

 die. So it comes that 

 branches are not arranged 

 regularly, although the 

 buds may be. In the Tar- 

 tarian or "tree" honey- 

 suckle the buds are oppo- 

 site ; Fig. 85 shows how 

 the branches are. 



121. The results of the 

 struggle for existence in the 

 tree -top can be expressed 

 in figures. Consider that 

 every bud is the germ or starting point of a branch. Ob- 

 serve at what distances apart 

 the buds are usually borne on 

 any plant, and estimate the 

 number of buds which the plant 

 has borne: count the number of 

 branches which the tree actually 

 bears. It will be found that the 

 number of buds is far in excess 

 of the number of branches : the 

 difference between the 

 numbers shows how 

 many buds or branches 

 have failed. Or, count 

 the buds on any 

 branch, and figure up 

 the possibilities. A 

 branch 12 inches long, 

 for instance, has 10 

 buds. If each bud 

 grows, at the end of 



86. Scars of the dormant buds.-Willow. the next SGaSOH there 



