This fruit or pod, when it becomes entirely ripe, opens and discovers a white down, to which we give the name of cotton. The cotton of the creeping plant is thought the best. When the pods open, the down is plucked out by the fingers, and the seeds are taken out of it by means of mills, which pull out and loosen the down. It is then sent from the planter; but before being made into cloth, it must be picked, carded, twisted, and drawn out, so as to make thread or yarn; after which it is sent to the weaver, who makes it into cloth of various thickness, from the finest muslin to the strongest velvet. It is supposed that cotton at present clothes more people in the world than any other substance. It is at once cheap, warm, and light; and is much better for hot countries than linen. You every day see gowns, vests, stockings, and a great many other things, made of cotton. Did you know before that the substance from which they are made, once grew upon a tree?

VI.-Flax and Hemp.

Fibre, a small thread in Liquor, any thing liquid. [ently. De-gree', quality; propor

plants.

E-nough', (e-ruf') suffici-
Ex-pose', to lay open.

Action, operation; thing

done.

Acid, sour; sharp.

tion.

Cu'ri-ous, neat; nice.

Ref'use, dross, useless re

mains.

Peas'ant, a rustic.

THE plants which grow in this country, and

from the fibres of which thread and cloth are made, are chiefly flax and hemp. Flax, from which linen is made, is a yearly plant, rising on a single stalk, and bearing pretty blue flowers, which grow into round seed-pods. But it is not, as in cotton, the seed-pod that is used for making cloth, but the fibres of the stalk itself. When the seeds are all ripe, the flax is plucked up by the hand, laid in little bundles to dry, stripped of its seed-pods, and then put into pits of water to rot. Whilst rotting, the smell is very bad, and even hurtful to the health. When the flax has been long enough in the water, it is taken out, washed, dried, and then beaten with wooden mallets. It is then combed, and so prepared that the long fibres are got by themselves, clear and loose, in which state they are called flax or lint. The shorter and coarser fibres, taken off by the comb, are called tow.

The flax is then spun into yarn, by drawing out the fibres, and twisting them so as to make thread. You all know how this is done, for you have often seen a spinning-wheel. After being spun, it is sent to the weaver, who weaves it into a web of cloth. This is sent to the bleacher, who brings it to a pure white colour, by often washing it, and exposing it to the action of the sun and air, aided sometimes by the use of an acid liquor.-The linen fabrics are of all degrees of fineness, from

the coarsest sheeting to the finest cambric. If you look at a plant of flax growing in the field, and then at the frill of your shirt, you must be struck with wonder at what the art of man can do.-But do you know that the leaves of the book you are now reading, was also once a plant of flax growing in the flelds? Yet it is quite true, for paper is made of linen rags. This is done in a very curious way, which you may learn by and by.-The seed of the flax, when pressed in a mill, yields an oil known by the name of linseed oil, which is used by painters; and the refuse, which forms what are called oil-cakes, is used for feeding cattle.

Hemp is a much taller and stronger plant than flax. It has a square rough stalk rising to the height of five or six feet, and sending off branches. The fibres are found in the bark which surrounds the main stalk. Hemp is prepared for the loom in the same way as flax, but being stronger and coarser, it takes more labour to get the fine fibres parted from the rest. It is used in making sails for ships, and all kinds of ropes, from the small twine to the large cable.

It is this use of hemp, as being the plant from which ropes are made, that is pointed at in the answer which a plain country man gave to two gay young men, who wished to jeer him. The man was sowing in a field,

and the giddy youths, who, as they were riding past, thought to mock him, said, "Go on, old boy, with your toil,-you sow, and w reap.' "That may be very true," said the peasant, "for I am sowing hemp."

VII.-The Dog.

Do-mes'tic, belonging to Ap-proach', to come near.

Ver'min, any noxious ani- Crea'ture, any thing creU'sage, treatment; custom.\

ated.

THE domestic dog has more sense than almost any other beast it is of great use to man, and is most attached and faithful to its master. There are a great many kinds of dogs, which are of various sizes, from the large Irish grey-hound, four feet high, to the little lap-dog, scarcely larger than a kitten. The watch-dog, when set to guard a house, or a waggon, or any kind of goods, will attack with fury any one, man or beast, that offers to approach. For the dog, so gentle and kind to its master, is fierce in defence of any thing entrusted to its care. The mastiff and bull-dog are our watch-dogs.-The shepherd's dog is of more use to him in keep

ing his flock than many boys could be.-The terrier and fox-hound are employed in killing vermin, such as rats, weasels, foxes, and other animals of this sort.-The grey-hound runs down hares by its speed; and setters and pointers let the huntsman know where the gamo is.-The water-dog has often been of use in saving the lives of those who have fallen into lakes or rivers.

The dog, so faithful and attached to man, will suffer almost any ill usage, rather than turn upon his master, or even forsake him. He often knows his master's wish by his looks, and will do any thing in his power to please him. He seems not to care how ill he may be fed, if he has but his master's love; for it is that alone he seeks, and it is that alone which can make him happy. What a monster must that man or boy be, who can be cruel to so kind and generous a creature! Many dogs have, by their good sense, been the means of saving their masters' lives; and many stories of this sort are told, which are very wonderful, and yet quite true. How quick their scent is, we all know. I have seen a man take from his pocket a shilling, or any other piece of money, and after it had been mixed up with twenty or thirty belonging to another person, his dog at once picked out his master's. If the pieces were piled one above another, the dog threw down the heap, and at once