CHAPTER VI 

 BUDS 



MOST of the fruit-trees with which our orchardists have 

 to do normally make a determinate or definite growth 

 during a season; the apricots and many of the plums are 

 exceptions. If we examine the winter condition of the 

 last growth made by an apple tree, we shall find that it 

 is terminated by a bud, and that there are a number of 

 side buds that occur at fairly regular intervals. Any 

 of these buds, either lateral or terminal, may be fruit- 

 buds, as will be shown later. 



If we select one of the branch-buds and pick it to pieces, 

 we shall find that it is composed of a mass of tiny leaves, 

 those on the inside being much crumpled and compacted, 

 while the outer ones are of regular formation. The latter 

 are known as bud-scales, and they drop off soon after the 

 bud starts into growth. The interior ones will form the 

 leaves of next season's growth; and usually all of the 

 leaves which the new growth of the season will produce 

 are present in miniature in the bud, the exact number 

 being determined the season before. 



One can easily distinguish between the growth of 

 different years when the branch is not too old, or when 

 second growth has not taken place, by the slight bulge 



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