UNCLE IN ENGLAND. 79 



and that when raised a few inches in the air, the 

 warmth of the grass beneath was 3 greater than 

 that of a neighbouring piece of grass which was 

 sheltered by a similar handkerchief actually in 

 contact with it. All his experiments confirmed 

 those of Dr. Wells, and shewed that by placing 

 substances for the shelter of plants, not directly 

 touching them, the effect was increased. Snow 

 acts in the same manner as a preservative of 

 plants when the ground is not already frozen. 



Some other experiments my uncle then de- 

 scribed, and he endeavoured to make me under- 

 stand Dr.Wells's general opinions on the formation 

 of dew. He also mentioned the curious method 

 they have in India of forming artificial ice in 

 earthen-ware pans, where the temperature of the 

 air is even 12 or 14 degrees above the freezing 

 point. He concluded by saying, " I do not tell 

 you all these particulars, Bertha, merely to stuff 

 your memory with philosophical shreds and 

 patches, but to excite your mind to observation 

 and inquiry, which is a hundred times more 

 useful." 



8th, Sunday. The Ephod being mentioned 

 in a part of the Scripture I was reading this 

 morning, I asked my uncle to describe it, for 

 I had but a confused idea of the dress of the 

 high priest. He says the name is derived from 

 a, Hebrew word, signifying to tie. It was made 



