264 AMERICAN POMOLOGY. 



gether upon the little fruit-spurs. We are inclined to cavil 

 at this profusion of nature, and to ask why thi^ waste of 

 vegetative effort. But we may rest assured that it is only 

 another evidence of the unerring wisdom of Him who 

 doeth all things well. 



All blossoming and fruiting is but a changed condition 

 of those buds that would otherwise have produced leaves 

 and wood-growth. Every tree, sooner or later, reaches a 

 point which we call its period of maturity, when some of 

 its buds are thus modified. The same elemental parts are 

 still present ; but those that were arranged for the produc- 

 tion of an elongated shoot, with leaves set around it in 

 some definite manner, and destined for the formation of 

 woody growth, are now so constituted as to have a growth 

 of very short extension, and furnished with modified 

 leaves, so changed, that we scarcely recognize them thus 

 crowded together upon this shortened and modified axis. 

 We here take our first lesson in the very interesting study 

 of morphology, or the science of the changes of form to 

 which the parts of a plant are subjected, in the produc- 

 tion of flowers and fruit, from what were otherwise the 

 source of shoots and leaves. This will be found one of the 

 most interesting branches of the study of botany, as it 

 leads us to the investigation of one of the most beautiful 

 displays of Divine power, and, like all such studies, gives 

 us more and more elevated views of the exalted wisdom 

 and benevolence of an All-wise Creator, who has pro- 

 duced nothing in vain, and who, while creating worlds 

 and systems of the greatest magnificence, has condescended 

 to prepare the most tiny flower, and its previous bud, in 

 the most perfect manner. 



