METHODS OF BRANCHING 



41 



the stem, as shown in Fig. 30. Since every leaf bud that is, 

 every bud which contains rudimentary leaves will, if success- 

 ful, grow into a branch, the position of 

 the buds is most important in deter- 

 mining the shape of the tree. 



55. Opposite branching. Trees with 

 opposite leaves and buds show a tend- 

 ency to form twigs in four rows about 

 at right angles to each other along the 

 sides of the branch, as shown in Fig. 31. 

 This arrangement will not usually 

 be perfectly carried out, as most of the 

 buds never grow, 

 since they are 

 shaded and starved, 

 or some may grow 

 much faster than 

 others and so make 

 the plan of branch- 

 ing less evident 

 than it would be if all grew alike. 



56. Alternate branching. In trees like 

 the beech the twigs will be found to be 

 arranged in a more or less regular spiral 

 line about the branch. This, which is known 

 as the alternate arrangement (Fig. 32), is 

 more commonly met with in trees and shrubs 

 than the opposite arrangement. It admits of 

 many varieties, since the spiral may wind 

 more or less rapidly round the stem. In the 

 FIG. 32. Alternate apple, pear, cherry, poplar, oak, and walnut, 

 branching m a very one p asses over fi ve spaces before coming to 

 young apple tree . , . , . , , , . , . 



a leaf which is over the first, and in doing 



this it is necessary to make two complete turns around the 

 stem (Fig. 100). 



FIG. 31. Opposite branch- 

 ing in a very young sap- 

 ling of ash 



