THE RUSH TRIBE. 63 



purposes. A nourishing substance called salep is 

 obtained from the roots of one species ;* vanilla, 

 used in the manufacture of chocolate, of liqueurs, 

 and confectionary, is the dried fruit of another ;f 

 while the roots of a third J are so gummy that 

 they are used in the United States for mending 

 broken earthenware, and are called putty-root" 



"I wish putty -root grew here," said Eobert, 

 " that I might mend mamma's broken china." 



"Besides this," continued his father, "a few are 

 taken medicinally ; and in New Holland the mealy 

 roots of many species are eaten by the natives. 

 Near to the orchis tribe come several tribes of 

 water-plants or marsh-plants, all natives of warm 

 climates, and more interesting to the botanist than 

 they would be to you ; let us, therefore, proceed to 

 the RUSHES/' 



The children were very familiar with rushes, 

 and Mary was in the habit of peeling them for the 

 sake of a beautiful white pith with which their 

 stems are filled, and which her mamma had taught 

 her to apply to many ornamental purposes. They 

 also knew that rush-lights are candles in which 



* Orchis mascula. f Vanilla planifolia. 



J Aplectrum hyemale. 



