east on the broad window-ledge,
And fly, when he's eaten his fill,
To his home in the evergreen hedge."

OLIVE A. WADSWORTH.

ABOUT FLAX, BARLEY, AND RYE.

Arthur had been looking at some pictures in a book; but he did not quite
understand what they were: so he called on Uncle Oscar to explain.

Uncle Oscar took him on his knee, and said, "This, Arthur, is a picture
of the flax-plant, a very useful plant indeed; for from it we make
linen. Your apron is linen: so are the collar and wristbands on my
shirt.

"The flax-plant bears delicate blue flowers, which look very pretty
when in bloom. Flax is raised very largely in Kentucky, and other States
in the Union. Do you know what part of the plant is the stalk? I will
point it out to you in the picture.

[Illustration: FLAX.]

"Well, from this stalk the thread, or fibres, are got, out of which
linen cloth is made. The flax is pulled a little before the seeds are
ripe: it is stripped, and the stalks are soaked in water. The flax is
then dried, and broken and beaten till the threads, or fibres, of the
bark are fit for spinning. From the seeds, linseed-oil is made.

"Is it not strange, Arthur, that out of the stalk of this little plant
should be made the nice white linen of your apron and my handkerchief?"

Arthur thought it very strange. Then, pointing to another picture, he
said, "What's this, Uncle Oscar?"

[Illustration: BARLEY.]

"That, Arthur, is a picture of barley as it grows in the field. It
yields a very useful kind of grain. You have eaten it in soup, and also
boiled. Stripped of the husk, and rounded and polished in a mill, the
grains are pearly white; and then they are known as pearl-barley."

"Here's another picture, Uncle Oscar."

"Did you ever eat rye-bread, Arthur?"

"Why, yes, Uncle Oscar! we had it for breakfast."

Well, here is a picture of rye as it grows in the field. It is one of
the best of grain-bearing grasses. It will grow where the weather is
very cold. The straw is often worth almost as much as the grain.

[Illustration: RYE.]

"Rye grows on poor, light soils, which are altogether unfit for the
wheat out of which we make our white bread. Sometimes we mix rye-flour
with wheaten-flour, or with corn-meal, and so get a very good kind of
bread."

"Can I plant some flax-seed, and barley, and rye?" asked Arthur.

"Yes, my boy," said Uncle Oscar. "You shall have some to plant in your
garden next May. I think you wil