250 SOUTHERN FIELD CROPS 



tween a leaf and the main stem. Usually this leaf on the 

 main stem falls before the branch attains much size, but 

 its position is shown by the leaf -scar. 



The plant has- two classes of branches or limbs. The 

 longer, ascending ones (Fig. 121) are sometimes called 

 vegetative or primary branches, while slenderer or shorter 

 branches on which bolls are attached directly by their 

 flower stalks or boll-stems (peduncles) are called " fruiting 

 limbs" (Fig. 122). The primary branches have also been 



Fig. 122. — A Fruiting Branch. 

 Showing that the boll-stems are borne directly on the branch. 



called sterile limbs ; this is because no boll-stem or boll is 

 borne directly on these vegetative limbs, though boll-stems, 

 with attached bolls, spring from the subdivisions of these 

 main branches. 



In genera,l, a primary branch supports mmierous leaves, 

 and, on its sub-branches, some bolls; while a fruiting 

 limb usually bears several bolls and but few leaves. 



Normally, two branches arise from the axil of a leaf on 

 the main stem (Fig. 123). One of these twin branches, 

 arising from the same node of the main stem, is a fruiting 



