88 Field, Forest, and Wayside Flowers 
together constitute the winter bud. It contains 
very little water in its tissues, and so can with- 
stand low temperatures without freezing. 
The bud-scales live in a chill and sombre world, 
and when the sky is blue and full of light they 
fall and perish in the heart of spring. 
Yet, they are themselves _imperfectly-formed and 
partially-developed leaves. Under certain excep- 
tional circumstances they have shown their possi- 
bilities, and developed into typical leaves. And 
under most circumstances there is in them the 
arrested power to become like the green foliage of 
summer. 
Stunted, as they are, these scales have done 
work which perfect leaves could never do. Their 
horny substance has shed the cold rains of winter, 
resisted the frost, and protected the tips and 
shoots in which the life of the branches lay dor- 
mant. 
We owe to the bud-scales most of the beauty 
of the summer world. Their highest usefulness 
has been attained through sacrifice of their com- 
plete development. Now their brief lives of 
service are ended, and as they fall the summer 
leaves unfold. 
As soon as these new leaves have stretched and 
