ORGANIZED MATTER. 275 



the use of the young plant ; and accordingly a large 

 quantity of the matters secreted by a plant, are 

 necessarily employed in the formation of seed. 



720. In the case of all plant^ which shed their 

 leaves annually, at the end of the season buds are 

 formed. • In some respects these resemble seeds ; 

 they consist of growing points, surrounded by small 

 scales, which in time would develop into branches 

 and leaves ; but they are closely wrapped up in sev- 

 eral layers of a brown scaly matter, which protect 

 them during the winter from the action of cold and 

 other injurious influences. 



721. When spring comes on and the weather is 

 milder, the buds undergo a chemical change a good 

 deal resembling germination. It frequently happens 

 that the buds open before the winter is really over, 

 or that there is a return of cold weather, which kills 

 them, and thus gives the tree a very material check. 

 Buds may be formed at any time during the year ; 

 but they are, generally speaking, and of course with 

 the exception of flower-buds, formed only at the end 

 of the year, and at the time when the leaves fall off". 

 In cold and uncertain seasons it is common, however, 

 to see two or even more sets of buds formed in the 

 same year. ' . • 



722. There is a great distinction between organic 

 and organized matter. The former term signifies, as 

 has already been explained, sugar, starch, or similar 

 compounds ; whilst by the latter name is meant the 

 cellular and fibrous parts of plants. The chemist 



