BUDS AND WINTER SHOOTS 35 

FiG. 62. Opening buds of sycamore. 
closely all the scales fit. 
become smaller and smaller, until there is the 
Near the centre they 
that they are well protect- 
ed from loss of water dur- 
ing dry or cold weather, 
or after freezing. They 
lie “asleep,” as it were, 
all winter. In spring we 
know they awake. 
How the bud looks when 
split. With a sharp knife 
we will split the 
stem. Wesee how 

Fic. 63. 
Long section 
of horse- 
chestnut bud 
—seales and 
woolly scale 
leaves inside. 
soft end of the stem, 
which seems to be as 
much alive as in the 
summer, but it is resting _//// 
now. ‘The leaves in the 
bud are winter leaves. 
How convenient it is 
for the tree or shrub 
that in autumn it can 
put on this armour of 
brown scales and wax to protect 
the tender end of the stem! 


Fic. 64. Bud of elm in section, 
showing overlapping of scales. 
