this plant," said she to her sister, "I am resolved to push it up as straight as an arrow." Education took under her care a 10crab-tree. "This," said she, "I will rear to be at least as valuable as your pine." "How straight and fine those firs grow." (p. 50.) Both went to work. While Nature was feeding her pine with plenty of wholesome juices, Education passed a strong rope round its top, and, pulling it downwards with all her force, fastened it to the trunk of a neighbouring oak. The pine laboured to ascend, but not being able to surmount the obstacle, it grew on one side, and presently became bent like a bow. Still, such was its vigour, that its top, after descending as low as its branches, made a new shoot upwards; but its beauty and 11usefulness were quite destroyed. The crab-tree cost Education untold pains. She pruned and pruned, and endeavoured to bring it into shape, but in vain. Nature thrust out a bow this way, and a knot that way, and would not push a single leading shoot upwards. The trunk was, indeed, kept tolerably straight by constant efforts; but the head grew awry and ill-fashioned, and made an unsightly figure. At length, Education, despairing of making it a valuable tree, 12ingrafted the stock of an 13apple, and brought it to bear tolerable fruit. At the end of the experiment the sisters met to compare their respective successes. "Ah, sister!" said Nature, 14" I see it is in your power to spoil the best of my works." "Ah, sister!" said Education, 15" it is a hard matter to contend against you; yet something may be done by taking pains enough." Say what you know of the fir, oak, Weymouth pine, crab, and apple trees. Explain Nature, Education, and the process of ingrafting. What lesson does this fable endeavour to teach ? 1 1 Nature, things in their natural state, coming from the hand of the Creator, and sustained by His laws, without any aid from man. 2 Education, teaching and training the various powers given by Nature. (see app.) 3 fir, a native of cold and temperate regions. (see app.) oak, a native of cold and temperate countries, also of mountainous regions in the tropics. (see app.) 5 Pruned, 4 trimmed, cut off the superfluous branches. 8 challenge, to call to a contest of any kind; here means to invite or summon. 'superiority, state of being superior, or chief, or of surpassing others in qualities of any kind. opponent, one who tries to hinder, defeat, or destroy any one. 9 Weymouth pine, or white pine, a native of North America. (see app.) 10 crab-tree, the wild apple tree. (see app.) 11 Usefulness. Pines are specially useful, because of the length and straightness of their timber. 12 ingrafted, inserted in a stem; to graft, or ingraft, is to take a shoot or stem from one tree, and making a cut in another, to fix it in. Earth is placed round the joint, and in time the two unite. Apple, the apple tree seldom grows higher than forty feet. It is one of the most valuable of fruit trees. The branches are very crooked. The apple tree requires a fertile soil and a sheltered situation. 14 I see it is in your power, etc. Education 13 is not always of the right kind. It may do harm instead of good, especially if it violates the laws of nature. 15 It is a hard matter, etc. If Education does not act in unison with nature, it is always struggling to effect its objects. Education must work with nature to produce perfection. Note.-The illustration is a picture of the pineaster or star pine, so called from the star-like arrangements of its cones. Pines and cedars belong to the fir tribe. THE BANYAN TREE. THEY tell us of an 'Indian tree, Downward again to that dear earth, 'Tis thus, though "wooed by flattering friends, This heart, my own dear mother, tends "Moore. 'Indian tree: the banyan tree is a native of India. (see Banyan, app.) wooed, courted; sought after. 3 flattering, pleasing by flattery, that is, praising in a way to gratify vanity, or gain favour. fame, renown; celebrity; here means being spoken highly of by every one. Instinct, natural impulse. Moore. Thomas Moore was born in Dublin in 1779. He is chiefly famous for having written Lalla Rookh and many beautiful poems called Irish Melodies. He died in 1852. 5 A WITTY REMARK. SIR WALTER RALEIGH, the famous soldier and traveller, who lived in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, was one day telling the queen all he had heard of the properties and virtues of tobacco. To awaken her interest, he told her that he could ascertain the exact weight of the smoke which issued from his pipe. The idea of weighing smoke appeared to the queen so absurd, that she laid a wager that he could not prove the truth of his assertion. He accepted the wager, weighed some tobacco, put it into his pipe, and puffed away till the whole was consumed. He then weighed the ashes left in the pipe. course, the queen was obliged to admit that the difference between the weight of the ashes and that of the tobacco had gone "off in smoke." In paying her debt, she remarked, "Many labourers turn gold into smoke, but you have turned smoke into gold." This referred to the alchemists, who in those days threw away money in making fruitless attempts to change the baser metals into gold. Of THE BRITISH OAK. LET India boast its spicy trees, And France exult her vines to train Old England has a tree as strong, As worthy of a 'minstrel's song In cottage and in hall. 'Tis not the 3yew tree, though it lends Its greenness to the grave; Nor 'willow, though it fondly bends Nor birch, although its slender "tress As graceful in its loveliness As maiden's flowing hair. "Tis not the "poplar, though its height May from afar be seen; Nor "beech, although its boughs be 'dight With leaves of glossy green. All these are fair, but they may fling The British oak shall be ! Its stem, though rough, is stout and sound; Its giant branches throw Their arms in shady blessings round O'er man and beast below; |