THE ARRANGEMENT OF BRANCHES. 25 
plained (55), they are named Axillary Buds. (See Fig. 52, 53.) These buds 
grow into branches, just as the first or terminal bud of’ the seedling grows to make 
the main stem. 
59. The Arrangement of Branches, therefore, follows that of the axillary buds, and 
this that of the leaves. ; 
Now leaves are placed ° 
on the stem in two 
principal ways; they 
are either alternate or 
opposite. They are al- 
ternate when they fol- 
low one after another, 
there being only one 
to each joint of the 
stem, as in Morning- 
Glory (Fig. 4, all after 
the seed-leaves), and 
in the Linden or Bass- 
wood (Fig. 52), as well 
as the greater part of 
trees or plants. ‘They 
are opposite when there are two leaves upon each joint of stem, as in Horsechest- 
nut, Lilac, and Maple (Fig. 31, 58); one leaf in such cases being always exactly 
on the opposite side of the stem from its fellow. Now in the axil of almost every 
leaf of these trees a bud is soon formed, and in general plainly shows itself before 
summer is over. In Fig. 52, a, a, a, a, are the axillary buds on a twig of Bass- 
wood, —they are alternate, like the leaves, —and ¢ is the terminal bud. Fig. 53, 
a twig of Red Maple, has its axillary buds opposite, like the leaves; and on the 
very summit is the terminal bud. Next spring or sooner, the former grow into al- 
ternate branches ; the latter grow into opposite branches. These branches in their 
turn form buds in the axils of their leaves, to grow in time into a new generation 
of similar branches, and so on, yer after year. So the reason is plain why the 
branching or spray of one tree or bush differs from that of another, each having its 
own plan, depending upon the way the leaves are arranged on the stem. 
60. The spray (or ramification) of trees and shrubs is more noticeable in winter, 
52 
