A WORD ABOUT KNOWLEDGE. 



203 



toorb about 



HALF a loaf may be better than no bread, 

 but such a rule will not apply to all matters. 

 Half a fact is not better than ignorance. 



Recently, not very far from New York, the 

 Boston idea of naming the trees in the public 

 grounds painting upon narrow boards both the 

 botanical and common names was adopted by 

 the city authorities. 



Acer rubrum, f Quercus alba, 



Red maple, | White oak, 



and so on, were nailed to the various trees, and 

 each, as is not always the case, in its proper 

 place. While the work was in progress the fol- 

 lowing conversation took place : " What a deal 

 of money is spent in advertising patent medicines 

 and such stuff nowadays ! " remarked Blank to 

 his friend. " See there ! " and he pointed to a 

 maple properly labeled, adding, "That's some 

 new bitters or a salve for corns, I suppose." 

 " No, it isn't," replied Double Blank, with an air 

 of infinite wisdom ; " these boards are the names 

 of the different kinds of trees, nailed up for the 

 benefit of the ignorant in such matters. Here's 

 another one, and, don't you see, it gives the sci- 

 entific and common names both ? Quercits, 

 white; alba, an oak. I remember that much 



