perfect tree, not more than four inches in height; yet the root, trunk, branches, and leaves, were all developed completely and beautifully as in that Oak before us, and although a species of Willow, I think it rather resembled the Oak in form."

"How I should like to see one! Does it only grow in Scotland?"

“The specimen I saw came from Scotland; but its native home is Persia, where it is found on the summit of the highest mountains. It is also the only tree of Spitzbergen All the Willow family have a partiality for cold. The Salix Herbacea is said to grow nearer the Pole than any other woody plant. There is another dwarf tree called the Arctic Bramble, the Rubus Arcticus, a native of most of the mountainous and colder regions of Europe; its little stem, which never reaches a greater height than that of six inches, bears three or four leaves, and a single large deep rose-coloured flower; but tiny as this tree is, and apparently insignificant; it is not without its due value in the scale of creation. The flower upon it dies, and is succeeded by a berry, which the Swedish Laplanders esteem not only as a pleasant fruit, but as a valuable medicine. Linnæus, the great naturalist, tells us, that he was once, while in Lapland, seized with a severe illness, in which (humanly speaking) he must have perished, but for the berries of this little tree, which were administered to him by the natives: they restored him without, I believe, the use of any other medicine. There is another diminutive plant of the Bramble genus, the Rubus Chamamarus, or Cloud-berry; it grows in great abundance in the Scotch Highlands, and is gathered

by the inhabitants of those districts in great quantities. . They have a very agreeable flavour, and are numerous enough in some places to form a useful article of food. The Scotch call them Roebuck-berries and Knot-berries. This plant is the badge of the clan of Macfarlane. The Chinese and Japanese have long been famous for their method (which is a secret to us) of producing these miniature trees by mechanical means, that is, they make the seeds of trees of the ordinary growth to come up as natural dwarfs. They have liliputian Firs and Palm-trees in blossom; and Bamboo-trees, that in their natural state attain the height of one hundred feet, reduced by this curious process to three or four inches. There is one which you may some day have an opportunity of seeing in the Royal Gardens at Kew; it looks healthy and flourishing at present, but they are, generally speaking, extremely difficult to preserve in this country."

"I would rather find a natural one on the top of a mountain," said Dora.

"Yes, so would I, Dora; knowing that the other is forced and tortured out of its proper growth, takes from the pleasure of looking at it; at least, it is a very different kind of pleasure to that with which we observe a natural production."

“There were some berries in a little bottle in your box, which had something written upon it in Latin; I am almost sure the first word was Rubus: are they from one of the miniature trees?" asked Mary.

"Yes, they are the Rubus Chamamorus; the last is rather a long word for your memory. But Rubus, you know, is the

name of the Bramble genus. They were sent to me with the Salix Herbacea, by a friend who gathered them on the summit of Ben Lawers under the canopy of a cloud. I don't think Dora saw them; did you, Dora?"

"Will you, dear Miss Vaughan, let her look over the box again some day?" said Mary.

"Certainly, my love, if she wishes it; this evening, if there is time, before you go down to dessert."

CHAPTER IX.

O NATURE! all-sufficient over all,

Enrich me with the knowledge of thy works.

THOMSON.

"I SHOULD like very much to study botany in a regular way, Miss Vaughan," said Dora one morning, "if you would not mind the trouble of teaching me, and if you think I can find time for it amidst all my other studies." "And so should I," said Mary, "very much."

“And I too,” added Fanny. "Do let me learn botany, Miss Vaughan: when shall we begin?"

"The principles of botany, I shall be delighted to teach you, dears,” replied Miss Vaughan,” during our daily walks; something I hope you have already learned; and we shall have time I trust to learn a great deal more.”

"I don't quite understand though, what botany is," added Fanny; "is it only learning the names of all the flowers that grow?"

“No, if that were all, it would not be such an interesting and useful study as it is. Botany is derived from a Greek word, meaning 'plant' or 'grass': and the study of botany is the study of plants; that is, of the different parts of which they are composed; their form, their growth and habits: the uses to which they may be applied, as well as the classes and orders to which they belong as well as their names."

"That is a great deal to learn," observed Mary.

“Yes, more than we can ever arrive at a perfect knowledge of. But that is no reason why we should not learn what we can of a study, of which the pleasure is as inexhaustible as the subject. Those who know it the most love it the best; for so far from wearying, every step seems to add to one's happiness. Those who have the love of God implanted in their hearts, will love that which promotes His glory. And what can serve to promote it better than a deeper acquaintance with His wisdom, His skill, and His universal unfailing benevolence. This is the answer I would wish you always to give, when thoughtless people ask you, as they sometimes will, what is the use of your learning botany?"

"Can we learn it without a book?" said Mary. "I think I could learn anything by hearing you talk about it.”

"We can begin without very well: but when you have learned the terms for the various organs of a plant, and for the classes and orders, you shall have a book, which we can take out in our rambles, and which will enable you to find out the names of all the flowers you meet with. Then we shall begin to make a collection of wild flowers; for which purpose we must have a knife to dig them up with, a tin box to carry them home in to be examined at leisure, some drying paper to press them in, and a large book full of blank sheets to place them in when dried."

"O what fun it will be! We will ask mamma to-night to get all these things ready for us; I am sure she will, and then we can begin at once."

"But it will be some time, though, before we can begin