BUDS AND BRANCHING. 77 



one of the sycamore, if we can find it. Now peel 

 off its scales, one by one, with your pocket knife ; 

 and at last you will come to a bundle of tiny 

 leaves, very beautiful, and arranged in most beautiful 

 order round the growing point in the middle of the 

 bud. I hope you have a magnifying glass, and if you 

 use it now, you will find how much it helps you. 

 Now cut a bud down the middle, and from another 

 cut off a good piece of the top. Let us examine in 

 this way, one or two different kinds of buds : the 

 larger ones, even if you have not got a magnifying 

 glass. 



If we can find a horse chestnut bud for instance, 

 notwithstanding its stickiness, we will take off its 

 scales. This woolly cluster contains the baby leaves. 

 Open it out carefully, and you will see them, 

 beautifully shaped, and wrapped up snug and warm 

 in their woolly covering. Or try the buds of the 

 common lilac. You will not search long without 

 seeing the future flowers, in a most beautiful green 

 bunch or cluster. Through the glass you can even 

 see the shape of their petals. But perhaps it is too 

 late in the season for us to search amongst the buds. 

 If it is, remember that as buds are formed in the 

 autumn this will be something to do on fine days in 

 the winter and the early spring. How the future leaves 

 and flowers can all be packed away like they are in 

 the leaf and flower buds* is marvellous indeed. But 



* Buds produce branches with leaves or flowers only, or with both. 



