Buds 161 



The young beech leaves inside these winter buds 

 are dressed in fur and also wrapped in blanketing. 



Anyone who examines the winter leaf-bud of a 

 beech tree finds a number of small horny scales 

 around the outside. Within these are larger 

 scales, each fringed with long silky hairs ; all the 

 outer scales are public guardians of the leaf 

 family sleeping under the bud. 



After pulling off several of the fringed scales, 

 one finds the first leaf. It Is perfectly formed but 

 is surprisingly small, and it is covered with silky 

 fur. There are from five to nine leaves in every 

 foliage bud of the beech. Each leaf has a scale 

 guardian all to Itself, and also shares In the pro- 

 tection given to the whole family by the outer 

 scales. The beech, we see, has been prepared by 

 nature to live through long and hard winters. 



In spring the scale of winter buds have finished 

 their task and their occupation is gone. They 

 are like guardians whose wards have come of age. 

 They have stood to their posts of duty through 

 all the gales and blizzards of winter, and now 

 they take their leave. For a little while they cling 

 to the unfolding sprays which they have safe- 

 guarded, but soon they shrivel and drop from the 

 boughs. Every spring breeze bears a shower of 

 winter bud-scales earthward. The down which 

 clothes the baby leaves in winter drops off as they 

 unfold, so that the sprays which came into the 

 world clad In furs are soon naked to April breezes. 



