80 HOW PLANTS GROW YEAR AFTER YEAR. 
withering away, which grew in spring by one of its buds to make the stem (5) hear, 
ing the foliage of the season. This sends out some branches under ground, which 
in the course of the sea- 
son thicken at the end 
as they receive a stock 
of nourishment prepared 
by this year’s foliage, 
and become new tubers 
(c, a forming one ; d, d, 
well-grown tubers of the 
season), to live over 
winter and make the 
next year’s growth. 
75. Because they live 
under ground, these tu- 
bers are commonly sup- 
posed to be roots; but 
they are not, as any one 
may see. Their eyes 
are buds ; and the little 
scales behind the eyes 
answer to leaves ; while 
roots bear neither buds 
nor leaves. The fibrous roots which grow from these subterranean branches are 
very different in appearance from under-ground stems, as is plain to see in the 
Potato-plant. Fig. 60 shows 
a few of the real roots, as 
well as several branches of 
the stem, with potatoes form- 
ing in all stages at their tips. 
Fig. 61 is one of these form- 
ing potatoes magnified, show- 
ing a little scale behind each sobmon’a-seai. 
eye which answers to a leaf. Fig. 62 is a part of a slice through an eye, more 
magnified, to show that the eye is really a bud, covered with little scales. 
61 
69 
