BUDS AND BRANCHES 189 



odor gives the name to the tree. It is the odor of the 

 varnish-like, sticky secretion which is abundant on the 

 scales of the buds. 



It is common to think of cold as the principal thing 

 from which the inside parts of buds need protection. 

 However, loss of water by evaporation is an even greater 

 menace to plant life than low temperatures. It is certain 

 that these bud scales, and the hairs and coatings which 

 they often have, are of great advantage in preventing water 

 loss at a time when the roots are unable to make such loss 

 good. This use of the bud scales is more important to 

 the plant than their .use in preventing freezing ; in fact, 

 it has been observed that ice forms in some winter buds 

 without injuring them. 



Buds which remain undeveloped are called dormant. 

 Dormancy appears to be due chiefly to lack of opportunity 

 to develop. The stronger and more favorably located buds 

 " get a start " on the others. Buds may remain dormant 

 for four or five years before they lose their power to develop. 

 In case of serious loss of its other buds and of branches, it 

 is evidently of much advantage to the plant to be well 

 equipped with dormant buds. After emergencies, such as 

 the loss of foliage by a heavy hail storm, dormant buds 

 have their chance to develop. 



B. Overproduction of Buds. — There is a great over- 

 production of buds. That is to say, very many more buds 

 are produced than ever develop into branches. There is 

 not room for the development of all the buds ; those which 

 expand first arrest the development of the others. Those 

 first started use up all the space available for exposure to 

 light, or, it may be, they tax to the utmost the capacity 



