OBSERVATIONS ON BUDS.* 



BY PROF. H. L. HUTT, B. S. A., O. A. C. , GUELPH, ONT. 



^_, UDS afford a very interesting subject 

 ^^ for study, because they represent 



the possibilities of the tree, not only 

 in the growth of leaves and branches 



but also in the production of flowers and 



fruit. 



Their Systematic Arrangement. 



First, let us notice where the buds ap- 

 pear upon the stem or branch. At the end 

 of the branch will always be found a well- 

 developed prominent bud, known as the 

 terminal bud. Upon this rests the responsi- 

 bility of extending the growth of the branch. 

 Along the sides of the branch are numerous 

 lateral buds, which share the varied respon- 

 sibility of producing leaves or branches or 

 fruit. 



If a growing shoot be examined in the 

 summer, when out in leaf, it will be noticed 

 that each bud is situated in the axil of a 

 leaf ; or, if it be examined in the winter, the 

 scar left by the fallen leaf may be seen un- 

 der the bud. Such buds are known as 

 axillary buds, because they are formed in 

 the axil of a leaf. If tjie branch is from an 

 elm or basswood, or any of the ordinary 



fruit trees, the buds will be found to be al- 

 ternately arranged along its sides. But if 

 the branch is from an ash or maple, or lilac, 

 it will be seen that they are arranged in 

 pairs opposite each other. The buds, there- 

 fore, naturally have a regular order of 

 arrangement, which varies in different kinds 

 of trees. 



Accidental Buds. 



Sometimes buds are formed which do not 

 arise from axil of a leaf. Such buds are 

 usually the result of some injury to the part 

 where they appear, and are known as acci- 

 dental or adventitious buds. The suckers, or 

 water sprouts, that make their appearance on 

 large limbs where pruning has been done, 

 usually arise from buds so formed. 



Old Country gardeners, who give great 

 attention to the training of trees into fancy 

 forms, often resort to the practice of nicking 

 the bark so as to induce the formation of 

 accidental buds, from which branches may 

 be grown wherever desired. 



As there is a difference between the origin 



♦First Lessons in Fruit Growing — V. 



