162 Our Field and Forest Trees 



As a general rule, buds that are well provided 

 with winter clothing grow on trees and shrubs 

 native to the northern climate, but the rule has a 

 few notable exceptions (Fig. 41 ) . 



The butternut for instance, and its cousin the 

 bitternut, or " pignut," go through Maine and 

 Canadian winters without, as it were, either water- 

 proof, furs, or flannels. The buds of 

 these trees are not covered even by 

 scales. A coat of very short rusty- 

 looking clammy hairs is their only pro- 

 tection. These hairs have the char- 

 acteristic butternut smell and taste, so 

 that we may readily know the buds 

 even in winter woods. 



If branches are brought into the 

 house, and there cut and ^. „ ^ , 



Fig. 41. Sweet buckeye, a 



placed in water, they will 't»^^u°*j *^u ^™*^™ ^'^'^,'- 



'^ _ 'J Its buds have no vegetable 



begin to bud as they do ^"'■• 

 out of doors in early spring. Their growing 

 time however does not last long. Flowers and 

 leaves need food, just as animals and children do, 

 and they need it especially while they are growing 

 rapidly. While the branches are on the trees the 

 buds are fed during the growing season by food 

 which comes from the earth dissolved in water. 

 The roots, busy little providers, are at work col- 

 lecting this water from the soil. But the broken 

 branch, with no roots to forage for it, can only 

 unfold its leaves and flowers part way. 



