THE STEMS KINDS AND FORMS; PRUNING 



climbing when they cling to other objects 

 for support (Figs. 36, 56). 



Trees in which the main trunk or the 

 "leader" continues to grow from its tip 

 are said to be excurrent in growth. The 

 branches are borne along the sides of the 

 trunk, as in common pines (Fig. 57) and 

 spruces. Excurrent means running out or 

 running up. 



Trees in which the main trunk does 

 not continue are said to be deliques- 

 cent. The branches arise from one 

 common point or from each other. The 

 stem is lost in the branches. The apple 

 tree, plum (Fig. 58), maple, elm, oak, China 

 tree, are familiar examples. Deliquescent 

 means dissolving or melting away. 



Each kind of plant has its own peculiar 

 habit or direction of growth ; spruces al- 

 ways grow to a single stem or trunk, pear 



FIG. 56. A 



CLIMBING PLANT 



(a twiner). 



FIG. 57. EXCURRENT 

 TRUNK. A pine. 



FIG. 58. DELIQUESCENT TRUNK 

 OF PLUM TREE. 



