an we
make of leaves?'

"`Come, brother,' said Frank, in an improving tone; `the leaves of some
trees are very valuable. What think you of the tea-plant, for
instance?'

"Harry felt rebuked, and remained silent.

"`We can make no use of the leaves of this tree,' continued his mother;
`at least none that I am aware of.'

"`The bark, then?' interrogated Harry.

"`No--not the bark either.'

"`The roots?'

"`I know of no peculiar virtue in its roots more than those of the oak,
ash, or any other large timber trees.'

"`What then, mamma? It has no flowers, I am sure; nor fruit neither,
except little seeds with wings upon them like a spider-fly.'

"`Those are its fruit.'

"`Oh! what use could we make of them? I have seen just the same, or
very like them, growing on the common sycamore.'

"`You are right there, for the common sycamore, as you call it, is a
tree of the same family. But I did not say we could make any use of
these winged seeds. Can you think of nothing else that belongs to every
tree?'

"`Nothing! Let me see--yes--yes--the sap?'

"`Ha! the sap!' repeated his mother, with a peculiar emphasis.

"`What, mother!' cried Frank, `a maple?'

"`Yes! a _sugar-maple_! Now, Master Hal!'

"These words produced a startling effect upon the whole company. Frank
and his brother had both heard of the famous sugar-maple, though neither
of them had ever seen it. The younger members, Mary and Luisa, knew
nothing about maples, but the word `sugar' was more familiar to them;
and that, in connexion with the joyous looks of the others, at once
produced visions of sweetmeats and candy. Cudjo, too, who had never met
with the sugar-maple--as it did not grow in the neighbourhood where
Cudjo was himself indigenous--nevertheless liked sugar as well as any of
them, and greeted the announcement with delight. Nothing was heard for
some moments but cries of joy, mingled with the words `sugar' and
`sugar-maple.' Greater is the longing which children, or even men,
experience for that which is difficult to obtain; and greater is the
delight that is felt upon the prospect of obtaining it.

"After the transport of our little circle had in some degree subsided,
Mary proceeded to explain to them the nature of this remarkable tree.

"`The sugar-maple,' said she, `you may easily distinguish from other
trees by its light-coloured bark, and palmate five-lobed leaves, which
in summer are of a bright green colour, but in aut