A Study of Winter Branches 33 



we have noticed last summer's leaf scars. The 

 baby leaves or blossoms, inside winter buds, are 

 often protected, we remember, by horny scales. 

 Some buds have several rows of these, one outside 

 another. When the young leaves awaken and 

 expand in spring, these protecting scales will fall 

 off (Fig. 14) or shrivel away, 

 leaving scars to show where 

 they grew. 



The traces left by bud scales 

 of past years look as if a 

 strong thread or fine wire had 

 been wound very tightly around 

 the branch, and had cut a little 

 way into the bark. 



By counting these marks one 

 can tell the age of a small 

 branch ; but we cannot trace the 

 record far back on larger 

 boughs, because after awhile 

 the outermost layers of the bark peel away, marks 

 and all. The branch tips, which grew out last 

 spring and are now less than a year old, are always 

 smoother than the more mature parts of the trunk, 

 and generally they are of a different color. 



Where the bark changes its color, look for the 

 scars showing where the winter bud scales fell 

 away last spring. 



When the bud scales are few or very small, 

 their slight marks are difficult to find. The two 



Fig. 14. Apple twig show- 

 ing old bud scale marks. 

 (From u drawing by J. G. 

 Porter. ) 



