38 



WINTER BUDS 



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. 



91. 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. 



92. 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. 



93. Whether the 

 branch grows long 

 or not depends on 

 the chance it has, 



— position on the plant, fertility 



of soil, rainfall, and many 



other things. The new shoot is 



the unfolding and enlarging of 



the tiny axis and leaves that 



we saw in the bud. (Figs. 55, 



56.) If the conditions are congenial, the shoot may form more 



leaves than were tucked away in the bud, but commonly 



^0. Willow. 

 The "pus- 

 sies" are 

 pushing 

 out, and 

 a large 

 black bud 

 scale is 

 ready to 

 fall from 

 the base 

 of each. 



64. Growth is 

 progressing. 



