84 



BUDS 



Following out this suggestion, it is easy to reckon the age of 

 any moderately old portion of a branch, since it is equal to the 



FIG. 83. Fruit bud of pear (same as C, of Fig. 82), showing its development 



A , opening in spring ; B, later, developing flowers and leaves ; C, later still : only 

 one flower has produced a fruit, the rest having fallen off. Below it is a lateral 

 hud which will continue the spur next year. After Percival 



number of segments between the rings. In 

 rapidly growing shoots of willow, poplar, and 

 similar trees, five or ten feet may be the 

 growth of a single year, while in the lateral 

 twigs of the hickory, apple, or cherry, the 

 yearly increase may be but a fraction of an 

 inch. Such "spurs" as are shown in Figs. 

 82-84 are of little use in the permanent 

 growth of the tree, and poplars, elms, soft 

 maples, and other trees shed the oldest of 

 these every year. In any case the growth is 

 but the development of the bud, which may be 

 regarded as an undeveloped stem 

 or branch, with its internodes so 

 shortened that successive leaves 

 seem almost to spring from the 

 same point. 



FIG. 84. A slowly grown twig of 

 cherry, three inches long and 

 about ten years old 



The pointed bud I is a leaf hud ; the 

 more obtuse accessory buds/,/ 

 are flower buds 



