32 ANNUAL GROWTHS RECORDED 



This branch was cut in the latter part of March, 1858 ; and 

 as there are six sets of bud-rings on its main axis, it is evi- 

 dent that it is six years old, and that its growth from the 

 bud must have commenced in the Spring of 1852. It is also 

 plain that the first side shoot commenced growing in the 

 Spring of 1853, and is therefore, five years old. Hence, 

 only five sets of bud-rings are visible on this shoot. The 

 same law is apparent through the entire series of ramifica- 

 tions; each shoot is one year younger, and will be found to 

 have one set of bud-rings less than its parent axis. By 

 comparing the engraving with the numerical calculations in 

 the Table, it will be seen that the growth made by the 

 primary axis, between 1852 and 1853, was four inches, and 

 that five leaves were put forth, only one of which produced 

 a vitally active bud, which ultimately became a shoot. The 

 buds produced by the other four leaves were rudimentary, 

 and, as is evident from the engraving, never came to 

 any thing. 



Again, by reference to the figures in the Plate and the cal- 

 culations in the Table, the condition of the branch in the 

 Spring of 1854 will be seen at a glance. The primary axis 

 had grown from the set of bud-rings marked 53 to the set 

 marked 54, a distance of eight inches and five lines: it had 

 developed five leaves, and, as there are three branches con- 

 nected with this portion of the main axis, it is evident that 

 three out of the five leaves produced vitally active buds. 

 So, also, the first side-shoot or secondary axis grew two lines 

 and put forth four leaves. It grew, in fact, about the length 

 of a bud-trace, or took a minimum of development. The 

 distance between the two broken lines at the bottom of the 

 engraving, figured 53 and 54, shows the extent of growth 

 of the first side-shoot between 1853 and 1854. This; then, 

 was the exact condition of our beech branch in the Spring 

 of 1854. There were terminal buds at all the points of the 

 main axis marked 54; and consequently, with the exception 

 of the slight side growth made by the first secondary axis 

 at the bottom, the primary axis itself still remained un- 

 branched. 





