WORK OF THE SHOOT 103 



render the whole an admirable arrangement for getting rid 

 of the excess of water. It seems from this that a large 

 leaf-surface might coincide with great absorption, involving 

 a large food-supply and consequent rapid growth. At any 

 rate this is worth keeping in mind, and it might be considered 

 with reference to the very different conditions under which 

 plants grow. What differences, for example, do you find in 

 the rate of growth and the forms of plants growing in a 

 ditch, a hedge, on a moor, a rock, a sandy shore ? Meanwhile, 

 we see how important it is that the functions of the stomata 

 should not be interfered with, and some of the most 

 interesting modifications of leaves are those which concern 

 the protection of the stomata and the economy of a plant's 

 water-supply. 



CHAPTER IX 



BUDS AND BRANCHES 



At the growing end of a branch the leaves are very small 

 and immature, and arise close together on the shoot-axis, 

 as shown in Fig. 67. Such an undeveloped shoot is called 

 a bud. In winter the leaves of the buds are often so tightly 

 packed, and the parts are so small, that they are difficult 

 to dissect. The essential features, however, may easily be 

 made out from an examination of a Brussels Sprout 

 (Fig. 63). Each ' sprout ' arises in the axil of a leaf, like 

 the bud of any typical plant. Remove the tightly-packed 

 leaves one by one, noticing that they are folded, wrinkled, 

 and arranged spirally on the axis. In the axil of each leaf 

 a small bud will be found. How many leaves are there ? 

 How many axillary buds can you find ? When you have 

 removed all you can, cut the remainder of the bud (the 



