So THE SYCAMORE. 



the leaf and fl(nver and their 

 i)e\'el()P.\h:nt from the hud. 



Tile shoots of the pre\ious vear, which bear the buds, are 

 smooth, grev-green in colour, and rounded. The part, however, on 

 which the buds form is hexagonal. On young Sycamores the buds 

 are larger than those on old trees. 



In winter they are nearly oval in outline, the terminal one of 

 the same width as the shoot, the axillary ones smaller, and standing 

 out from the twig. They are covered yvith pairs ot opposite scales, 

 which overlap one another like roof tiles. Each scale is sharply bent 

 down the centre, till the two halves are almost at right angles to 

 each other, and disguise the o\ al outline of the bud, making it appear 

 four-sided. At this stage it is about half-an-inch long and of a bright 

 glossy green. As spring advances, the inner scales push their way for- 

 wards, and expose a surhice of downy white, which changes to bright 

 pink as they lengthen and expand beyond control of the short green 

 outer scales, now holding them onlv at the base. The bud is now 

 club-shaped, and nearlv two inches long. 



Soon the leaf, upright within its envelope, and folded together at 

 the main rib and again at the central rib of each lobe, begins to force 

 the enwrapping scales apart, and its underside, in some trees white 

 and downy, in others of a dull red-green, becr)mes visible at the aper- 

 tures. Next the leaves push out at the apex, and the outer jniir 

 unfold and expose an upper surface of glossy red-green to the sky. 

 As their stalks lengthen thev spread away from the sheath, ami finally 

 droop downwards, umbrella fashion, leaving the pair which are next 

 to emerge still bending towards each othei-, ami the inneiniost paii- 

 lying close together. 



Where it i^ a flower hud whith i. iindei- observation, tlie 

 blossoms, still tightly compressed into a spike of bright green cohun- 



