THE WALK.
IN WORDS OF FIVE AND SIX LETTERS.
Father. Shall we take a walk, my son?
Boy. Yes, sir, where shall we go?
Father. Let us go by the farm yard into the fields.
Boy. See! a horse and a cow stand by the fence in the yard. Now we are in the field. Is it full of nettles?
Father. No, not so, it is hemp.
Boy. What is that for, papa?
Father. To make cloth of; the stalk has a tough peel on it, and that peel is what they make thread of. The thread they weave, and make strong cloth.
Boy. I want to know all the trees: pray what leaf is this?
Father. That is an oak; that bush is May; we call it too White-thorn; it blooms late in May; its fruit are called Haws; so we call it Haw-thorn. The birds eat the fruit. That is Black-thorn; that blooms soon in Spring; it has a white bloom, and has then few or no leaves. The fruit is a sloe. They are like a small blue plum; but so sour that you can not eat them.
Boy. What is this?
Father. Wild rose; its fruit are Hips; they are kept, and we take them for coughs. That is broom; it has a bloom like a pea in shape, but it is yellow.
Boy. There is a bush of it in bloom.
Father. No: that is Furze, such as you see on heaths. Feel this; Broom does not prick like this.
Boy. I will keep a leaf of each to show to James.
Father. You may put them in a book, and write what I have told you.
Boy. I will get all sorts of plants; and I will mark by each the name, the place, the bloom, the time when it blows, and the use which is made of it.