The outer
pair are brown and are the stipules of the last leaf of the preceding
year. The leaves are conduplicate, as in Magnolia, and have the blade bent
inwards on the petiole (_inflexed_). Their shape is very clearly to be
seen, and no bud is more interesting in the closeness of its packing.
Axillary buds are often found within. The flowers grow high upon the trees
and towards the ends of the branches.
The leaf-scars are round with many dots. The scar of the stipules is a
continuous line around the stem, as in Magnolia.
CHERRY _(Prunus Cerasus_).
The leaf-buds are terminal, or in the axils of the upper leaves of the
preceding year; the flower buds are axillary. There is but one bud in each
axil, and usually two or three flowers in each bud, but the leaves on
the twigs are crowded and the flowers therefore appear in clusters. The
blossom-buds are larger and more rounded than the leaf-buds.
The buds of the tree develop very easily in the house, and as they are
so small they can be better studied in watching them come out, than by
attempting to dissect them, unless the scholars are sufficiently advanced
to use the microscope easily. It is always bad for a pupil to attempt to
describe what he sees but imperfectly. He will be sure to jump at any
conclusions which he thinks ought to be correct.
The leaf-scars are semicircular, small and swollen.
The bud-rings are plain. The twigs make a very small growth in a season,
so that the leaf-scars and rings make them exceedingly rough.
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