筆の穂を整えてから書き始める。
I start writing after adjusting the tip of the brush.
noun
A shoot or twig used in grafting; a somewhat technical horticultural term.
接ぎ木には、良い穂を選ぶことが大切だ。
For grafting, it is important to choose a good scion.
The kanji 穂 is a phono-semantic compound with 禾 (grain) and 恵 (grace/blessing), originally referring to the ear of grain. The extended meanings of tip, crest, and scion derive from the shape of a grain ear.