22 THE FRUIT -BUD 



THE BUD AND THE BRANCH 



A twig cut from an apple tree in early spring 

 is shown in Fig. 5. The most hasty observation 

 shows that it has various parts or members. It 

 seems to be divided at the point / into two parts. 

 It is evident that the portion from f to h grew 

 last year, and that the portion below / grew two 

 years ago. The buds upon the two parts are very 

 unlike, and these differences challenge investi- 

 gation. 



In order to understand this seemingly lifeless 

 twig, it will be necessary to see it as it looked 

 late last summer (and this condition is shown in 

 Fig. 6). The portion from /to h, which has 

 just completed its growth, is seen to have only 

 one leaf in a place. In every axil (or angle which 

 the leaf makes when it joins the shoot) is a bud. 

 The leaf starts first, and as the season advances 

 the bud forms in its axil. When the leaves have 

 fallen, at the approach of winter, the buds re- 

 main, as seen in Fig. 5. Every bud on the last 

 year's growth of a winter twig, therefore, marks 

 the position occupied by a leaf when the shoot 

 was growing. 



The portion below /, in Fig. 6, shows a wholly 

 different arrangement. The leaves are two or 

 more together (a a a a), and there are buds without 

 leaves (bbbbj. A year ago this portion looked 

 like the present shoot from / to h, that is, the 



