for the city which they form, and which from its large size is properly called an ant-hill, is as high in proportion to the bulk of the insect, as if the people of a city were to build a house like a mountain three or four thousand feet high, divided into rooms; and then, only think of those poor little creatures carrying sticks, much larger and heavier than themselves, to the top of this mountain; imagine to yourself a man dragging a tree thicker than his body and three times as long, up the top of such a hill as I have mentioned; and you will then have some idea of the uncommon strength of those wonderful insects. A gentleman told me, that he was once watching some ants at labor; and one, in particular, he observed toiling along with a large piece of twig which was 'too heavy for him. At last he arrived at a little rising in the ground, and he could not drag it any farther. Two or three others, observing this, came directly and helped him up the hill, by pushing the stick at the other end; and when they had got it upon level ground, they then left him to manage for himself. Well, the little creature dragged away till he got his piece of timber (which was larger at one end than the other) fixed between two sticks, and he was stopped again. Would you believe it, that he should have the sense to go to the thick end of the stick, pull it back a little way, turn it up on a narrower side, and then run round again to the thin end, and pull it through? Is not this wonderful? What little boy, or even man, could have managed better?-The ants are dreadfully violent and revengeful little animals, and will attack any thing that disturbs them. A large black beetle that is thirty times their size is sure to be killed, if he venture into their territory; and in a very few minutes they will

PRESERVATION OF BULBOUS ROOTS.

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have eaten out the whole of his inside. How long do you think it would be, Adam, before you could muster courage to attack an animal as large as the cow-house? You find a common sized dog quite enough for your valor, I am sure. In the latter part of the summer, or in the beginning of autumn, I think, the male ants have wings."

When this conversation was over, Mr. Stock told Adam to get the watering-pot, and water all the young cabbage-plants and broccoli, and other plants which they had lately set out in rows. “You may give each a pint of water at least," said he, "for we have had very little rain lately, and I fear they will become wilted, and die." While Adam was about this job, his father was thinning the spots of annual flowers, and drawing the earth up to them, leaving at the same time a hollow in the centre, to hold the rain that might fall. Afterwards, he hoed and raked the shrubbery and flower-beds; and finished by taking up the bulbous roots which had done blowing; such as the early tulips, crocuses, aconites, anemones, irises, snow-drops. and several others. These he spread upon a board in the tool-house to dry, before he put them away in paper bags. When Adam had finished his watering, a job which he liked very much, his father desired him to get the sticks for propping up the flowers out of the tool-house, and to bring some of the old Russia matting, and he would show him how to tie up the carnations, which were now beginning to shoot up into the long stalks for blowing. He also desired him to observe his manner of stirring up the earth round their roots, and to do so too, carefully. When this task was done, he was desired to roll the grass and gravel walks for an hour or two. During this time, his father

74

GOOSEBERRY-FOOL.

was sowing some flower seeds to blow late in the autumn; such as mignonette, sweet-peas, pansies, dwarfstocks, alysson, yellow lupines, candy-tuft, cornbottles, lavateras, and larkspurs. The day being now nearly closed, Adam was desired to fetch his sisters and brothers, to help him gather gooseberries for their mamma, to make them some gooseberry-fool for supper. You may be sure how diligent they were, and how soon they had gathered three or four quarts of gooseberries, and cleared them from the tops and stalks. When they had finished their pleasant meal, and Adam had read to them Miss Edgeworth's story of "Lazy Lawrence," the whole family retired, and were in bed by ten o'clock.

On the following morning they went to work again; Mr. Stock attending to the apricot trees; thinning them a second time for tarts; and taking away such shoots as had come in improper places; and doing the same by buds upon other trees. The nectarines and peaches he also thinned for the first time. When this was finished, he attended to the vines, pulling off the weak shoots, and nailing up the branches that needed it. In the mean time, Adam was watering the strawberry beds, the plants of which were now coming into blossom. While they were employed, his father desired him to try and name how many trees and flowers had been, and were in bloom in that month. So, after a little thinking and looking about him, he numbered up the honey-suckle, the red-may, the jessamine, syringa, lilac, double-blossom cherry, laburnum, and the guelder-rose. "Well, how many more?" said his father; but he could think of no more than the sweetbriar. "You forget the beautiful and charming-scented rose," added Mr. Stock. "I thought the rose was such

FOREST TREES.-THE OAK.

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a favorite with you: but I do not wonder at your remissness, for there is no one who does not sometimes forget for a moment those whom he loves the most. Then there is the kalmia, elder, barberry, and bay-tree, the dwarf-almond, and the azalea. Among the forest trees, you would find the oak, quicken, or mountain ash, Scotch fir, chestnut, maple, and lime. Also the quince and walnut, in the orchard. While you are going on with your work, I dare say you will like to hear what use people make of those trees I have mentioned. To begin, then, with the king of the trees, the grand and noble OAK. A large tree of this description is one of the handsomest sights that can be imagined: its vast arms; its thick and rugged trunk; its deep green leaves; and its giant-like height, strike one with astonishment, and even with awe. The oak will live to a very great age, even some hundred years; and at the last, when it has but few leaves, but one or two branches, and when its trunk is quite hollow, and crumbling away to dust, it still looks noble, and even beautiful.

"The oak grows best in a rich strong soil, in which its roots will pierce to a vast depth; and it prefers a hilly to a boggy ground. When it grows in woods, the trunk will rise tall and straight; but in pleasuregrounds, where it may be planted singly, it will frequently present a very curious appearance, having a short, crooked, and thick stem; sometimes with enormous round lumps growing out of its sides.

"Almost every portion of this noble tree is of use. The acorns, which are also called mast, are said to have been one of the earliest foods of mankind; and in some warm countries are still used as such. With us they are valuable for feeding hogs; and in various

parts of England, but more particularly in Hampshire, in the New Forest, the people turn their hogs into the oak forests for several weeks while the acorns are falling from the trees, and the animals re:urn home really 'as fat as pigs.' Squirrels, and some other little animals, lay up acorns for their winter meals. A small branch of oak with a few acorns on it, while they are green, and their cups showing the beautiful carved work upon them in perfection, is one of the most elegant ornaments to a white vase on a chimneypiece.

"You know that they use the bark of the oak in tanning leather. The small twigs, and even the leaves, are used for the same purpose. The whole is ground down to a powder before it is put into the water: afterwards they fill the different pits in the yard with it, and, as you have seen, lay the hides in to soak; which remain for some months before they are fit for drying and for use as leather. What are called GALLS, are something which grows on the leaves by means of an insect; and are useful for dyeing a deep black, and for making ink. Oak saw-dust is used for dying drabcolored cloths, and fustians, such as our jackets and trousers are. The timber of this tree is most valuable in ship-building; and in house-building it is used for the door and window frames. In old family mansions you may see that the floors and staircases are all made of oak; indeed, scarcely any other wood was employed upon those occasions. All the frame-work of mills and steam-engines is made of oak. The bodies of carts and wagons; also gates, posts, and ladders. Country people have bedsteads, chests of drawers, and tables, made of oak. The poet Bloomfield wrote some excellent verses on his old oak table.