CHAPTER IX 



STRUGGLE FOR EXISTENCE AMONGST 

 THE BRANCHES 



119. No Two Branches are Alike. — Every twig has a 

 history. It has to contend for sunlight and a place in which 

 to grow. Its size and shape, therefore, depend on the con- 

 ditions under which it lives. Observe the long, straight, 

 big-leaved shoots on the top of the plant, and the short, 

 weak, crooked ones on the inside or under side. 



120. There is struggle for existence for every twig and 

 every leaf. Those finding the best conditions live and thrive ; 



88. The struggle for life. — Mulberry shoot. 



those finding the poorest die. The weak are overpowered 

 and finally perish: this prunes the tree, and tends to make 

 the strong the stronger. Observe the competition in the 

 branch photographed in Fig. 88. Pick out the dead twigs, 

 the weak ones, the strong ones. See also Fig. 7. 



121. The Buds May Not Grow. — There is not room in a 

 tree-top for all the buds to grow into branches. Some buds 

 (52) 



