“It is just a little baby branch, snugly tucked up in a tiny blanket and well covered over with many scale-leaves,” said Frank.
“Very good,” said Uncle George. “Now tell me why it is tucked up in this warm blanket, and perhaps Tom can tell us what the sticky stuff on the outer scales is for.”
“I am sure I cannot tell,” said Frank.
“Just think,” said his uncle kindly. “Why did you call it a baby branch? Is it because it is so small, or because it is so snugly wrapped up? Why are babies wrapped up in soft warm clothing?”
“Oh, I know now,” said Frank, “The woolly stuff is to keep out the winter cold.”
“And the sticky stuff on the outside,” said Tom, “must be for keeping out the rain.”
“You are both right,” said Uncle George. “Buds are formed in autumn and early winter. They are, as you have seen, very tender little things. Frost or wet would kill them. But rolled up in soft woolly clothing, covered in with many thick scale-leaves, and made quite waterproof by a thick coat of the sticky stuff, they do not fear the cold.
“If you look at your twigs again, you will find that in taking off the scales you have left a thick ring of marks right round the twig.
“Now, if you look down the twig, you will notice another ring of such marks. These are the scale-marks of last year’s bud. The part of the twig in between these two ring marks is a year’s growth.”
“There is a third ring on mine farther down the stem,” said Frank.