shoots as soon as they appear above the soil, or by growing some crop
that will smother them. The constant effort to make new growth will
soon exhaust the supply of stored food and the weed will die.




CHAPTER XIV

STEMS


WHAT ARE STEMS FOR?

Visit the farm or garden and the fields to examine stems and study
their general appearances and habits of growth. Notice that many
plants, like the trees, bushes and many vegetable and flowering
plants, have stems which are very much branched, while others have
apparently single stems with but few or no branches. Examine these
stems carefully and note that there are leaves on some part of all of
them and that just above the point where each leaf is fastened to the
stem there is a bud which may sometime produce a new branch (Fig. 68).
If the stems of trees and other woody plants be examined in the winter
after the leaves have fallen, it will be seen that the buds are still
there, and that just below each bud is a mark or leaf scar left by the
fallen leaf. These buds are the beginnings of new branches for another
year's growth. On some branches will be found also flowers and fruit
or seed vessels.

Buds and leaves or buds and leaf scars distinguish stems from roots.