ON THE YOUNG BARK. 33 



In precisely the same manner, the extent to which this 

 branch had grown in the spring of 1855 may be ascertained. 

 It is only necessary to bear in mind, that at all the points 

 on the main axis and its branches marked 55, there were 

 buds or terminal growths, and that at these points the grow- 

 ing shoot was in a state of rest, in order to see that the three 

 buds formed the previous year, or on that portion of the 

 main axis contained between 53 and 54, had grown into 

 three considerable branches, of the respective lengths of 

 two inches and ten lines, six inches and nine lines, and 

 seven inches and ten lines. There were, therefore, four 

 well-marked secondary axes connected with the primary 

 axis below the bud-trace marked 54 on the primary axis, 

 whilst the four branches situated above it, and included 

 b^ween 54 and 55, were still in the bud condition. 



Between the years 1855 and 1856, the growth of the 

 primary axis appears to have been very greatly retarded. 

 It grew only four lines, put forth three leaves, and there 

 was no side production. The same check to vegetation is 

 also beautifully apparent on the branches during the same 

 season. This is well represented in the engraving, and 

 the figures in the table show a similar growth of four lines, 

 three leaves, and no side production, of all the branches 

 with the exception of the first and fourth, which grew 

 eight lines and produced four leaves. This shows the in- 

 timate physiological connection subsisting amongst a sys- 

 tem of branches, and that if the growth of the primary 

 axis is retarded, the growth of the secondary axes experi- 

 ence a similar vegetative check. 



In like manner, the reader can easily ascertain the con- 

 dition of growth of the branch during the years 1856 and 

 1857, and thus accurately trace the several mutations of 

 form through which it passed anterior to assuming its 

 present one, in the Spring of 1858, as represented in our 

 engraving. 



The following curious and highly-interesting facts may 

 also be deduced from the calculations of the above Table. 



The figures 28, at the bottom of the first column 



3 



