50 CONVERSATIONS ON THE 



is ccmmunicated to the water in the operation ; 

 an infusion is when any thing is steeped or 

 soaked in water, or any other hquid, for the 

 same purpose." 



"Oh, then, Uncle Phihp, when sister makes 

 tea. that is an infusion, is it not ?" 



" Yes ; and soup a decoction : and now 

 then you know what a decoction of butternut- 

 bark is. I have heard that the bark itself, 

 soaked in warm water, and applied to the face 

 and the neck, is good for the toothache, but I 

 never tried it. But there is another good 

 thing got from the butternut, boys, that I sus- 

 pect you do not know, although you have 

 lived in the midst of them all your lives." 



" And what is that, Uncle Philip V 



" Sugar." 



" Sugar ! — Maple sugar ?" 



" No, butternut sugar ; not as good as ma- 

 ple sugar, but still better than none. And in 

 some parts of the country very far from the 

 sea, where the people are poor, and have no 

 money to buy West India sugar with, and 

 maples are not plenty, they are very glad to 

 get such as they can make from the butternut. 

 It is made in the same way, by boiling the sap, 

 which is very sweet." 



