24 THE CONIFERS OF THE NORTHERN ROCKIES. 



appears a short stem topped by a circle of small seed leaves whose 

 tips are still bound within the coat of the seed, whence they are draw- 

 ing food for the young tree until it becomes firmly rooted in the soil. 

 After a few days the seed drops off, the seed leaves spread wide apart, 

 and out of the center of the circle arises a tender stem with delicate 

 pale green leaves, much like the seed leaves, but shorter. As the stem 

 grows longer, its leaves are single, are not arranged in a circle, but 

 are alternate. The small stem with its tender leaves is the beginning 

 of the huge trunk of later years. The first summer it grows only an 



FIG. 11. Western Yellow Pine. A branch taken in July. The small cones in the center 

 above were pollinated in May preceding; the larger cones below are a year older, and would 

 have ripened in late August. About one-third natural size. 



inch or two above the seed leaves, and closes the season with a straight 

 stem and no branches, but its root has gone deep into the soil, where 

 the earth seldom dries out. At this stage the small top above ground 

 needs little water, but the young tree is getting ready its roots to feed 

 the larger top which is soon to come. No buds are formed the first 

 season. The next season the stem renews its growth, and the roots are 

 extended farther into the soil. The stem lengthens in early summer, 

 if conditions are favorable, to several times the growth it made in the 

 first season, and ends with the formation of a terminal bud and sev- 

 eral lateral buds close under the terminal one. These lateral buds 

 are the forerunners of the first of the circles of branches which are 

 formed at intervals and characterize the growth of this and other 

 species. 



