THE BUDS OF FRUIT-TREES 21 



by the "growing conditions" of the season in which they 

 expand, and the reserves carried over from the previous 

 years. However, an increased length of shoots may be due 

 to an elongation of the intemodes, such as occurs when a 

 tree is stimulated just previous to or while the growth is 

 being made, or if the tree is shaded during the period of 

 growth (the latter constituting a lack of light stimulus). 



16. Classification of buds.— Unfortunately there is some 

 conf\ision in the terminology relative to the classification 

 of buds. This variance in nomenclature by horticultural 

 writers is due to an effort to use terms that are self-explana- 

 toiy, relating to position of the bud, its structural contents, 

 or to what it will give rise. The following terms as here de- 

 fined will 1)0 used throughout this discussion. 



17. Leaf-buds. — A "leaf-bud" contains the rudiments 

 of a leafy branch, which may develop into a shoot or a spur. 

 As pointed out above, the development of parts within the 

 leaf-bud does not necessarily predetermine the length of the 

 shoot or the number of leaves it will bear. Probably such 

 is the case, however, with the short spurs. The term 

 "branch" bud is frequently employed in horticultural 

 writings to describe the same type of bud and has some 

 advantages in clarity, but is scarcely more accurate than 

 "leaf" bud. "Wood" bud is also used by some writers, but 

 is less desirable and still less descriptive. 



18. Fruit-buds. — A fruit-bud contains the unexpanded 

 parts of the flowers. The term "inflorescence bud" would 

 be more descriptive but does not follow usage. It may com- 

 prise one or more individual flowers and perhaps also leaves or 

 bracts, depending on the kind of fruit-tree. In the apple 

 and pear, the fruit-bud usually contains one or more axillary 

 leaf-buds also as well as the enfolding leaves. That is, the 

 blossom buds of these fruits are "mixed," and when they have 

 opened and fully expanded, a close examination usually re- 



