92 FIRST STEPS IN GENERAL KNOWLEDGE. 



In this sleep-producing property it resembles its 

 near relation, the hop, which belongs to this tribe, 

 and is a well-known ingredient in beer." 



"Hops are very pretty," said Mary; "but 1 

 should not like them to be trained over trellis-work 

 as some people have them, in their gardens ; be- 

 cause whenever I touched the blossoms they would 

 give out that disagreeable bitter smell." 



" Many persons think it a fine aromatic smell," 

 said her father ; " it is produced by little glands 

 (easily rubbed off), which are scattered over the 

 green scales of the hop-head, and contain a bitter 

 resin. But we must proceed to the MULBERRY 

 tribe." 



The mulberry-tree was a great favourite with 

 the children, not only on account of the rich fruit 

 which it afforded them, just in the hottest weather, 

 but also on account of the supply of leaves it 

 yielded to their silkworms. They were surprised 

 to hear that the fig-tree belongs to this tribe, and 

 that both have been brought from the East, the 

 whole tribe being of foreign origin. Their father 

 spoke of the fig-trees as especially interesting, 

 since one of them is the remarkable banyan-tree* of 

 * Fwus indica. 



