Killing of Fruit -buds. 319 



maturely developed buds. At a, Fig. 51, is shown 

 a section through a bud, as found in January of an 

 ordinary winter. The bud scales overlap each other 

 closely, and inclose all thfi more tender parts that go 

 to make up the blossom y^\ The pistil, that is to de- 

 velop into the fruit, occupies the center, and is a 

 somewhat flask-shaped body, while next to it are the 

 floral parts, to which the stamens are attached. The 

 stamens are small and almost colorless. Turning now 

 to />, which represents a section through a half -opened 

 bud, it will be seen that there is very little change 

 in the pistil. This portion is the last to be affected 

 by the modifying circumstances; but the scales are 

 wide open at the top, the stamens have enlarged re- 

 markably, and it is to their development that much 

 of the opening out of the scales is due. It is only 

 necessary, at this time, to call attention to the fact 

 that the stamens are organs for the production of pol- 

 len, and this flower -dust is only used to stimulate the 

 receptive pistil into new life. And, while the growth 

 of the pistil is mostly after fertili/ntion, it is, however, 

 true that during the time when it is receptive to the 

 pollen it is most susceptible to cold and other condi- 

 tions, and it is the portion of a peach bud that first 

 manifests injury from frost or other exposure. 



"The inference is natural that cold can get into 

 an open bud much more easily than a closed one, 

 but we need to look back of the visible differences 

 to the vital conditions. Vegetable tissues in active 

 condition are less able to bear extremes of heat and 

 cold than those in a quiescent state. A seed, for 



