OF BUDS. 
47 
1st. The flower bud , which is of a short 
round form, and contains the rudiments of 
one or several flowers, without leaves, fold¬ 
ed over each and surrounded with scales. 
Fig. 34, shows at a, the flower bud of the 
apple, with its scaly covering; 6, shows the 
spot occupied by the buds of the preceding 
year. The flower bud is usually found at 
the extremities of small short branches; 
this is employed in grafting or inoculating. 
This operation is performed by cutting into 
the bark of another tree, and placing a bud 
or several buds in the aperture. The sap 
from the tree soon begins to stimulate it; 
in time it puts forth leaves and branches, 
and bears fruit peculiar to the tree from 
whence it was taken. 
2d. The leaf bud , contains the rudiments 
of several leaves without flowers ; it is 
usually longer and more pointed than the 
flower bud. 
The figure shows a 
branch of the Dajphne 
mezereum ; at a, is a leai 
bud, while the lateral 
buds are flower-bearing 
ones. 
Fig. 36. 
3d. The mixed 
bud , contains both 
leaves and flowers. 
We see at Fig. 36, 
a branch of the 
lilac, (Syringa vul¬ 
garis •,) bearing this 
kind of bud, op¬ 
posite and covered 
with a scaly en¬ 
velope. B is the 
same, cut vertical¬ 
ly in order to show 
the thyrse of flow¬ 
ers formed in the 
buds in autumn.* 
The leaf buds, if taken from the tree and planted in the earth, 
will grow and put forth roots ; but the flower buds in the same situa¬ 
tion will perish. You will perceive that a striking analogy exists 
between buds and seeds, as well as between buds and roots. 
You have now seen the manner in which buds commence their 
existence; and how they gradually unfold themselves until they be¬ 
come in their turn branches, covered with leaves and flowers. In 
* I have this day, November 24, examined the buds of a vigorous lilac, and find, on 
cutting one vertically, the thyrse of flowers very .apparent to the naked eye, and of 
nearly the size represented in the cut. 
Flower bud—Leaf bud—Mixed bud—Reflections suggested by a view of the subject. 
