38 



WINTER BUDS 



i 



57. Fruit- 

 bud of pear. 



The open- 

 i 11 g of 

 the pear 

 bud. 



that they are condensations of main stems rather than 

 embryo stems borne in the axils of leaves. But bulblets 



may be scarcely distinguish- 

 able from buds on the one 



hand and from bulbs on the 



other. Cut a cabbage head in 



two lengthwise, and see what 



it is like. 



90. WHAT BUDS DO. A bud 



is a growing point. In the 



growing season it is small, 



and persons do not notice it. 



In the winter it is dormant 



and wrapped up and is plainly 



seen : it is waiting. All branches spring from 



buds. 



91. All winter buds give rise to branches, 

 not to leaves alone : that is, the leaves are borne 

 on the lengthening axis. Sometimes the axis, 

 or branch, remains very short, so short that it 

 may not be noticed. Some- 

 times it grows several 

 feet long. 



92. Whether the 

 branch grows long 

 or not de})ends on 

 the chance it has, 



position on the plant, soil, 

 rainfall, and many other things. 

 The new shoot is the unfold- 

 ing and enlarging of the tiny 

 axis and leaves which we saw 

 in the bud. Figs. 51, 52. If 

 the conditions are congenial, the shoot may form more 

 leaves than were tucked away in the bud, but commonly 



5G. Willow. 

 The "pus- 

 sies" are 

 pushing 

 out, and 

 a large 

 blaek bud- 

 scale is 

 ready to 

 fall from 

 the base 

 of each. 



59. Hickory 

 buds. 



Growth is 

 progressing. 



