TREES OF AMERICA. 130 



this is one of the wonders of God's providence, 

 that can never be understood or found out by 

 the wisdom of man. Curious and astonishing 

 it is, to be sure, and so is every thing around 

 us ; the wisest man that ever lived knew no 

 more about such wonders than you ; and it 

 is a good lesson for people who are proud and 

 vain of their learning, to know that the growth 

 of even so little a thing as a blade of grass, is 

 just as much beyond their comprehension as 

 the motions of the sun and the stars, or the 

 secrets that lie hid in the very lowest depths 

 of the ocean, are beyond the capacity of a child." 



" Uncle Philip, when you told us about the 

 walnuts, I thought it very strange that the sap 

 of a tree should ever turn to oil ; but now 

 when I think of it. I see that there is nothing 

 more strange in this than in any thing else 

 about trees." 



" Very true, my dear. But I suppose you 

 know that the walnuts are not the only trees 

 that produce oil ; you have tasted sweet oil, I 

 dare say, or at least you have seen it used for 

 salad." 



" Oh yes, Uncle Philip ; but sweet oil does 

 not come from a tree, does it, sir ?" 



" Yes, but it does from the olive ; and a 



