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dumb beasts, and from tbe mucli hated and abused nettle family 

 had given us a plant three times a year made up of innumerable 

 tissues, threads from which were made fabrics to clothe our bodies, 

 as well as giving us from another i-esource of the field day bj' day 

 our daily bread. And, further, from the very refuse — the straw 

 — that bore the grain was made a paper for the Bible in which it is 

 written, " The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament 

 showeth His handiwork." 



The President, Mr. Alderman 'Jox, proposed a vote of thanks. 

 They were sometimes asked what was the good of the Natural 

 History Society, and he thought the paper they had jnst heard read 

 was a very good answer. It was not often that the members of the 

 society were able to bring before them subjects on which they were so 

 thoi'oughly and practically conversant as Mr. Deunet was with the 

 subject of vegetable fibres. To use an American phrase, Mr. Dennet 

 had undoubtedly " struck ile," and no doubt before long Mr. Wonfor 

 would be at him again for another paper. If Mr. Dennet would 

 supply them with a series of sioeeimens for the microscope, he 

 thought a vei"y useful and instructive evening might be spent in the 

 examination of these fibi^es. Some of them hardly knew what 

 shoddy was, and would like to examine it under a glass. 



The proposition having been agreed to, Mr. Dennet briefly 

 acknowledged it, and in doing so gave some further information 

 with regard to the different kinds of fibres and tbe uses to which 

 they could be put. He should be most happy to fall in with the 

 President's suggestions, and if they would prove acceptable he 

 should have great pleasure in handing over a perfect set of specimens 

 for the Museum. 



In reply to Mr. Satinders, Mr. Dennet said there was not 

 nearly so much warmth in fibrous materials as in wool or silk. If, 

 however, worked up with good wool, such materials would prove 

 both warm and serviceable. 



Mr. Wonfor spoke of the efforts which had from time to time 

 been made to turn sea grass, &.C., to account, but without success, 

 and asked if Mr. Deunet could not tell them something about the 

 machine whicli was now being used for separating vegetable fibres, 

 and which his modesty, perhaps, had kept him from sayiug much 

 about. 



