CHAPTER V. 
Winter Study of Trees. 
Many of the peculiarities of trees can be studied much 
better during the winter and early spring than at any 
other time of the year. The plan of branching, the posi- 
tion, number, size, form, color, and surface of buds, as 
well as the arrangement of the leaves within the bud and 
the peculiarities of the scales that cover them, are points 
for winter investigation. 
GENERAL PLAN OF BRANCHING.—There are two dis- 
tinct and readily recognized systems of branching. 1. The 
main stem is excurrent (Fig. 8) when the trunk extends as 
an undivided stem throughout the tree to the tip; this 
causes the spire-like or conical trees so common among 
narrow-leaved evergreens. 2. The main stem is deliques- 
cent (Fig. 4) when the trunk divides into many, more or 
Jess equal divisions, forming the broad-topped, spreading 
trees. This plan is the usual one among deciduous trees. 
A few species, however, such as the Sweet Gum and the 
Sugar-maple, show the excurrent stem while young, yet 
even these have a deliquescent stem later in life. The 
English Maple and the Apple both have a deliquescent 
stem very early. 
All the narrow-leaved evergreens, and many of the 
broad-leaved trees as well, show what is called definite 
annual growths; that is, a certain amount of leaf and 
stem, packed up in the winter bud, spreads out and hard- 
ens with woody tissue. early in the year, and then, no 
matter how long the season remains warm, no additional 
leaves or stem will grow. The buds for the next year’s 
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