It is now the spring of 1902. In April, 1899, a bud threw off its scales at ri and grew to b, bearing three pairs of leaves and a bud. In April. 19111), this bud opened, and from b to r. bearing three pairs of leaves and a terminal III Apra, NM, the bud at c started. bore a pair of leaves, then died by some accident. and the two buds in the angles of the leaves carried the gr()wth forward to d, and formed each a pair of leaves and a bud, which is full of promise for .1902.
This maple twig's story is a tale of woe. I found it on a lower branch where it rarely got any sunlight. It has borne twenty leaves Iyhose scars are plainly seen. Each leaf shoit/d have had a bud in its axil, and these buds shou/d have grown when a year old into side shoots. All these possibilities have failed except in the special emergency ease at the top. A single bud below e remains, hut it has been dormant for a Year, and is probably dead. All the others have died and fallen off. Ilut the lusty end buds have better light and more air. The growth would probably have been better from this time forth if I had left the twig on the tree.
The final test of age is made by a slanting cut through the wood of the different years.
Each year of age reduces the size of the pith and adds a thin belt of compact wood.
Why is it so thin? The leaves are the nurses of their own buds. and the feeders of the twig that bears them. Grow ing ill shadow, they are small ; they get lout little food from the soil and the air ; they make but little starch to send to need y, dependent parts. Hence, the short growth made by this twig each year, the weakness of its buds. its failure to increase in diameter. All these are but out ward signs of the poverty that for years has been the portion of this unhappy little twig.
But all over the treetop we may find to contrast with the ill-favored twig lusty ones that tell a story of free and independent life. where sun shine and sap and good fresh air abound. Want and plenty, misery and happiness exist side by side in the world. We read all about them in the books and in the treetops!