40 



BUDS. 



Fig 32. 



viding for the next year ; she is turning the vital energies of the plants to the 

 formation of buds. Those little embryo plants, so nicely wrapped up in downy 

 scales as to be able to bear the coldness of winter, in the ensuing spring will come 

 forth from their snug retreats, and taking the places of the leaves which l>ad 

 withered in autumn, delight us with new verdure and beauty. 



6. De Candolle suj>poses that in the latter part of sxuunier, the eye is formed, 

 and the young shoot forces its way through the bark ; but the young leaves wliich 

 would put forth, becoming chilled by the ungenial atmosphere of the coming win- 

 ter, coBtract and harden, and at length form scales ; and that these scales after- 

 ward protect the new leaves, which, urged by the same vegetable instinct, are, in 

 their turn, seeking to emerge into light and air. If we admit this explanation 

 with respect to the formation of scales, it seems not difficult to account for the 

 covering of varnish, which defends the embryo leaves and flowers from moisture. 

 When the leaf becomes a scale, it then absorbs from the sap but a portion of what 

 was destined for its use, aud the remaining sap may be converted into the resinous 

 substance, or varnish. With respect to the downy coat upon the inside of the 

 scales, this may be seen in the rudmients of the leaves, if examined before the bud 

 is developed. These hypotheses do not, in any degree, derogate from the wisdom 

 of Him who, " with art"^inimitable, folds up the tender germ ;" for whether He act 

 by secondary causes, or " speak, and it is done,"' design is alike apparent in aU hia 

 works. 



c. Tlie term bud, in common language, extends to the rudimeyits of all plants, 

 whether with scales or without, wliich originate upon other hving jDlants. Buds 

 with scales are chiefly confined to the trees of cold countries. In 

 the northern part of the United States, there are few trees which 

 can endure the cold weather, without this security. In Sweden, 

 it is said, there is but one shrub* destitute of buds, and this, from 

 the peculiarity of its situation, is always protected from the in- 

 clemencies of weather. It is said that no perennial plants but 

 those furnished with scaly buds can live in chmates where it 

 snows a part of the year. Trees of the torrid zone, whose wood 

 appears hard and firm, perish in our latitude. In warm climates, 

 the buds of the trees are without scales, the tender shoots not re- 

 quiring their protection. That there is, in reality, a difference in 

 the constitution of vegetables, as well as animals, is very apparent ; 

 an orange-tree forms no scales to protect its buds from cold ; nor can the delicate 

 tropical animals resist the rigors of a polar climate. There are cases, however, in 

 which both plants and animals change their habits. The horse- 

 chestnut, in India, its native climate, unfolds its leaves to the 

 atmosphere, without any check to their development ; in a cold- 

 er chmate, the leaves, in attemptmg to unfold, being checked 

 in their progress, degenerate into scales and form buds. 



Figure 32 shows a branch of the buttonwood-tree {Platanus), 

 In which the bud is formed within the petiole of the preceding 

 year ; this performs the oflice of the scaly covering in other 

 buds ; a is the lower part of the petiole cut vertically to show 

 the cavity b, in which is contained the bud c. 



Fig. 33 represents a young branch of the tuUp-tree {Lirioden- 

 drum) : a a are scales which covered the bud, now two stipules, 

 cauline, and oval ; h is part of the petiole of the leaf; c, another 

 envelope of the bud, from which is detached the envelope d, in 

 order to show the situation of the leaves e, and the buds/. The 

 buds/ are each furnished with a scaly envelope like those seen at a, c, and d. 



* A species of Rhamnus which grows under trees, in marshy forests. 



Fig. 33. 



b. Opinion of De Candolle with respect to the seal}- covering of buds — The term bud, how extensive 

 In its application — c. Scaly buds chiefly confined to cold countries — Difference in tlie nature of ^'eg«- 

 tables— They sometimes change their habits; example, the horse-chestnut— Explain Fig. 32— Ejplaio 

 Fiir. 33. 



