JLECT. V1JI.] ORIGIN OF BRANCHES. 403 



low tree, is still to be regarded as having originated 

 in the first year of the life of that trunk, however 

 old it may be : and its progress may be traced 

 through the shell of wood which still remains free 

 from decay. 



In general the latent germ passes in a straight 

 line through each concentric layer of wood ; but 

 when a branch, which is given off at an acute 

 angle, coalesces with the trunk, its direction 

 is changed to a curve, so as to continue it in 

 the wood of the stem or branch in which it 

 originated. Thus in the horizontal section of a 

 Willow, now before us, which was cut a little 

 below the bifurcation of a branch, that had co- 

 alesced with the trunk, we find the bud a. trace- 

 able in a direct line from the centre of the trunk ; 

 but b. as soon as it enters the zone c. where the 

 coalescence occurs, turns aside, and instead of 

 being protruded at/, which would have been the 

 case had it continued its course in its first direc- 

 tion, it appears at b. In this section, d. marks 



