i6 THE TREE BOOK 



achieve their ambition, what would be the re- 

 sult? Let us figure a moment. Here is a twig 

 with three shoots rising from a common point. 

 Each bears side buds, scattered along, less than 

 an inch apart; and a cluster of stronger ones 

 at the tip. Last summer a leaf marked .the 

 place of each side bud. And they were not 

 too close. But suppose each bud increases this 

 year to a spray of ten leaves ? It would mean 

 about three hundred leaves on a two year old 

 branch scarcely twelve inches long ! Naturally, 

 the plans of a large percentage of these minia- 

 ture sprays or twigs must be "nipped in the 

 bud. ' ' Some are too weak ever to enter the con- 

 test. The others contend in a silent, continuous 

 strife for room, for food, and for sunshine. 

 We may learn whole volumes in ethics by just 

 keeping an eye on them, for tmily they have a 

 patience and courage almost sublime, and an 

 eye quick to perceive their opportunity. Those 

 farthest out have the best chance. They quickly 

 attain full size, and shade and starve out the 

 unfortunate stragglers beneath them, so that 

 vigor and a favorable situation are the magic 

 keys. Usually death to the side shoots and the 

 persistence of one or two of the terminal ones 

 is the rule. Always Nature shapes to serve the 

 best interests of the whole tree. And she has 



