190 CONVERSATIONS ON THE 



tupelo are five or six inches long, and about 

 three inches wide ; they are oval-shaped and 

 the edges are cut into three or four scallops 

 of different shapes and sizes, with sharp points 

 between them. The fruit is shaped some- 

 thing like a thimble, but more pointed at the 

 end, and very much of the same size : it is 

 of a deep blue, and when bruised in water 

 gives out a fine purple juice that may be used 

 in dying ; the stone is large and rough ; the 

 wood is too soft to be applied to any useful 

 purpose. 



" There is another kind of tupelo, called 

 the sour tupelo, that grows in Georgia and 

 Florida ; some call it the wild lime. It is a 

 very small tree, but the leaves are as long as 

 those of the large tupelo ; they are not so 

 wide, however, nor of so dark a green. The 

 fruit is shaped like that of the large tupelo, 

 but is of a light red, and exceedingly sour, 

 and the stone is pointed at both ends. The 

 wood is soft and useless." 



" Uncle Philip, will you not tell us about 

 some useful trees, if you please ? All these 

 that you have just been talking about, except 

 the beeches, seem to be good for nothing." 



" Have a little patience, my dear child, and 



