3. THE LILAC TWIG. 



T^HE little lilac buds had been 

 * waiting a long time for Mr. 

 Southwind. Mother Nature had told 

 the buds that when Mr. Southwind came 

 along, they might come out. 



All winter, these little buds had been kept 

 warm. They had warm brown scales, which 

 kept out the cold. 



These scales turn into leaves, but they were 

 hardened to protect the buds. 



After Mr. Southwind came, the buds began to 

 swell. They grew larger and larger. They unfolded, 

 and the green leaves came out. 



What do you think was in some of the buds 

 with the leaves ? A flower bud. 



One bud grew on one side of the twig, and 

 another grew just across or opposite. So we say 

 that the lilac buds grow opposite. Do all buds 

 grow in this way ? 



The lilac has two buds at the end of the twig. 



The twig, on which these buds grew, had a light 



