The Buds. 87 
and instead of contributing to its welfare, as do the leaves 
and roots, it actually consumes a part of the plant’s reserve 
food (140). As might be expected, therefore, perennial 
plants do not always produce an annual crop of flowers, 
even when well developed in other directions, hence the 
grower is often disappointed. Since flowers can only come 
from flower-buds, a knowledge of the laws that govern the 
formation of these would be invaluable to the cultivator. 
Unfortunately, this subject has received less attention than 
its importance deserves. Two principles may be cited, 
however, which if they do not explain all the phenomena 
connected with the formation of flower-buds, are of sufficient 
general application to have great economic value, viz: 
A.—Plants form flower-buds only when they contain reserve 
food (85). 
B.—A water supply insufficient for rapid growth may suffice 
for abundant assimilation (59). 
In support of the first of these propositions, we mention: 
(a) Rapidly growing plants rarely form many flower-buds 
because the food is used up in growth as fast as formed. 
(b) Checking such rapid growth, by removing the growing 
points of the stem or root, or by withholding water, results 
in an accumulation of food, and is often followed by an 
abundant formation of flower-buds. (c) Obstructing the 
rootward current of assimilated food (80), as by “ringing ” 
(138), causes an accumulation of food above the obstruction, 
and is often followed by the formation of flower-buds in 
that part. 
In support of the second proposition we mention: (a) 
Florists often bring their plants into bloom at a desired 
time by withholding water. (b) The flower-buds of most 
out-door plants are formed during the drier part of sum- 
