CHAPTER XIV 



STEMS 



WHAT ARE STEMS FOR? 



VISIT the farm or garden and the fields to exam- 

 ine stems and study their general appearances and 

 habits of growth. Notice that many plants, like 

 the trees, bushes and many vegetable and flowering 

 plants, have stems which are very much branched, 

 while others have apparently single stems with but 

 few or no branches. Examine these stems care- 

 fully and note that there are leaves on some part of 

 all of them and that just above the point where 

 each leaf is fastened to the stem there is a bud 

 which may sometime produce a new branch (Fig. 

 68). If the stems of trees and other woody plants 

 be examined in the winter after the leaves have 

 fallen, it will be seen that the buds are still there, 

 and that just below each bud is a mark or leaf scar 

 left by the fallen leaf. These buds are the begin- 

 nings of new branches for another year's growth. 

 On some branches will be found also flowers and 

 fruit or seed vessels. 



Buds and leaves or buds and leaf scars distin- 

 guish stems from roots. Some plants have stems 

 1 20 



