WINTER BUDS, SHOOTS, ETC. 



17. Lateral buds. — The lateral buds, it is noticed, arise in 

 the axils of the leaves. Each one of these by growth the next 

 year, unless they remain dormant, will develop a shoot or 

 branch. Just above the junction of the upper pair of branches 

 we notice scars which run around the shoot in the form of 

 slender rings, several quite 

 close together. These are the 

 scars of the bud scales of the 

 previous year. By observing 

 the location of these ring scars 

 on the stem the age of the 

 branch may be determined, as 

 well as the growth in length 

 each year. Small buds may 

 be frequently seen arising in 

 the axils of the bud scales, 

 that is after the scales have 

 fallen, so that four to ten 

 small buds may be counted 

 sometimes on these very nar- 

 row zones of the shoot. 



18. Bud leaves. — On re- 

 moving the brown scales of 

 the bud there is seen a pair 

 of thin membranous scales 

 which are nearly colorless. 

 Underneath these are young 

 leaves; successive pairs lie 

 farther in the bud, in outline 

 similar to the mature leaves, annual rings. 

 and each pair smaller than the one just below it. They are 

 very hairy, with long white woolly fibres. These woolly fibres 

 serve also to protect the young leaves from the cold or from 

 sudden changes in the temperature, since they hold the air in 

 their meshes very securely. 



Fig. 5- 

 Three-year-old twig of the American ash, 

 with sections of each year's growth showing 



