TREES OF AMERICA. 241 



" No, not better, nor quite as good ; but it 

 is thought to be the next best after oak-bark, 

 and where oaks are scarce, the hemlock-bark 

 is always used instead of it ; I believe that 

 tanners generally think that the two barks 

 used together make better leather than either 

 of them alone. You may always know when 

 leather has been tanned with hemlock-bark by 

 its deep red colour." 



" Oh, then my shoes are made of that kind 

 of leather, I suppose, Uncle Philip ; for they 

 stain my stockings dreadfully." 



" I dare say they are ; the colour of the oak- 

 bark is neither as red, nor as apt to come out 

 upon the stockings. 



" The fourth and last kind of spruce, as I 

 told you before, is called the balm of Gilead, 

 and sometimes American silver fir ; this last 

 name is derived from a peculiarity in the 

 leaves, which are bright-green on the upper 

 side, and silvery white on the under." i 



" And the other name, balm of Gilead, I 

 suppose is from the turpentine or resinous 

 matter that is got from it ?" 



" Yes ; but this turpentine is not got by 

 boring holes in the trees, like that of the 



x 



