70 CONVERSATIONS ON THE 



when it has these spots it is called birds'-eye 

 maple : it is used for bedsteads and orna- 

 mental furniture, but especially for portable 

 writing-desks, which are very elegant, and 

 bear a high price. It is very good fuel, too ; 

 and indeed most people like it as well, or 

 nearly as well, as hickory. But another use 

 is made of it, which I suspect you know 

 nothing about." 



" And what may that be, Uncle Philip ? Is 

 it for tanning or dying ?" 



" No, neither of these ; it is for making 

 potash." 



" Oh, from the ashes ; why, what a capital 

 tree this is. Uncle Philip ; first we get sugar 

 from it ; then it gives us all sorts of beautiful 

 furniture; then it warms our houses, and 

 cooks our dinners ; and then, even after it is 

 burnt, we get something useful and good 

 from the ashes." 



" Yes, and besides that, it makes excellent 

 charcoal ; blacksmiths will tell you they like 

 maple charcoal better than any other." 



" Uncle Philip, what is potash good for ?" 



" Oh, for a great many things : but its 

 greatest use is in making glass." 



" Glass, Uncle Philip ! and can a maple-tree 

 be made into glass T 



