190 CONVERSATIONS ON THE 



tupelo are five or six inches long, and about 

 three inches wide ; they are oval-shaped and 

 the edges are cut into three or four scallops 

 of different shapes and sizes, with sharp points 

 between them. The fruit is shaped some- 

 thing like a thimble, but more pointed at the 

 end, and very much of the same size : it is 

 of a deep blue, and when bruised in water 

 gives out a fine purple juice that may be used 

 in dying ; the stone is large and rough ; the 

 wood is too soft to be applied to any useful 

 purpose. 



" There is another kind of tupelo, called 

 the sour tupelo, that grows in Georgia and 

 Florida ; some call it the wild lime. It is a 

 very small tree, but the leaves are as long as 

 those of the large tupelo ; they are not so 

 wide, however, nor of so dark a green. The 

 fruit is shaped like that of the large tupelo, 

 but is of a light red, and exceedingly sour, 

 and the stone is pointed at both ends. The 

 wood is soft and useless." 



"Uncle Philip, will you not tell us about 

 some useful trees, if you please ? All these 

 that you have just been talking about, except 

 the beeches, seem to be good for nothing." 



"Have a little patience, my dear child, and 



