LESSON 37 Buds
第三十七课 芽儿
Leaves as well as flowers come from buds. The bud swells, the leaves push out, the flower forms, and then comes the fruit.
绿叶和鲜花都是从嫩芽开始的。发芽，长叶，开花，然后结果。
The buds of trees have brown scales over them. These scales shelter the tender bud from the cold of winter and early spring. They are glued tightly together by a sticky substance, and thus form a close little case for the bud, to protect it from the sharp air. When the weather becomes warm enough, the swelling bud pushes the scales apart; and when the leaves are out, these scales drop off, because there is no more use for them.
树木的芽儿有棕色鳞片。这些鳞片保护嫩芽在寒冬和早春时不受伤害。他们被一种胶状物质紧紧黏住，因此形成了一个小笼子，防止嫩芽受到极端天气伤害。当天气变得够暖，膨胀的芽儿就把这些鳞片推掉；当树叶长出来，这些鳞片就会掉落，因为这时候它们已经没有用了。
In cold countries, the buds are always protected in this way, by a covering. The buds that we see in spring are not formed in the same year in which they appear. They are formed in the preceding year, a little while before the leaves begin to fall; and as they form, they loosen the old leaves, and soon push them off.
在寒冬，芽儿经常被一层覆盖物这样保护着。我们在春天看到的芽儿不会在同一年内出现的地方长成。它们在前一年就已经形成，就是在树叶凋落之前的一小段时间形成；它们形成后就会松开老叶子，然后将它们挤掉。
Now in these little buds are locked up all the leaves and flowers that are to come out next spring. The precious treasures of another year are there, and they must be kept safe through the winter; and therefore they have coverings to guard them from the cold.
这些小芽儿就是来春的树叶和花朵。它们是来年的宝贵财富所以必须要在寒冬得到良好的保护；因此，会有覆盖物来保护它们免受寒冬之害。
These coverings have been called by some one "the winter cradle of the buds;" and a very good name it is. The little buds in their cradles rock to and fro in the cold winds of winter, and are as safe from harm as the baby in its cradle.
有人把这些覆盖物称为“芽儿在冬季的暖床；”这个称谓多贴切啊。冬天寒风袭来，芽儿在它们的暖床中随风摇摆，就像摇篮里的婴儿一样，安然无恙。
The inside of these cradles is lined with soft down. This is the bud's little blanket, to keep it warm. In warm countries, the buds have not these "winter cradles." They do not need them there. The buds of the orange-tree and the lemon-tree have no coverings. There is no cold air for them to fear; and to put warm coverings on them would do harm instead of good.
这些覆盖物内部有柔软的东西，就像芽儿用来保暖的毯子。在温暖的国家，芽儿是没有这些“冬季暖床”的，在那里也不需要。橙子树和柠檬树的芽儿也没有覆盖物。它们不畏惧严寒；所以给它们加上温暖的覆盖物只会让它们受到伤害而不是得到保护。
QUESTIONS
问题
When are the buds that we see in spring formed? How are they protected from the cold air? What have these coverings been called? What forms the bud's blanket? Why have the buds of the orange-tree no such coverings?
春天里的芽儿什么时候长出来？如何让它们不受冻？这些覆盖物叫什么？芽儿的覆盖层是什么样子的？为什么橙子树的芽儿没有这类覆盖层？
