INIDGO. 5. Indigo is a substance, or dye, prepared from the leaves and stalks of the indigo-plant, which are steeped in water till the pulp is extracted, when the tincture is drawn off and churned or agitated, till the dye begins to granulate. 6. The flakes are then left to settle; the liquor is drawn off, and the indigo is drained in bags and dried in boxes. It is used for dyeing a kind of blue. Indigo is a native of Asia, Africa, and America. COPPERAS. 7. Copperas is a salt of a peculiar, astringent taste, and of various colors, green, gray, yellowish, or whitish, but more usually green. 8. Copperas is much used in dyeing black, in making ink, and in medicine. 9. The term copperas was formerly synonymous with vitriol, and included the green, blue, and white vitriol. CORK. 10. Cork is a kind of tree, which grows in Spain and Portugal, having a thick, rough, fungous, cleft bark. 11. The stopples for bottles and casks are made of the outer bark of the tree. 12. This outer bark is taken off, and a new bark or outer coat is formed, which, in six or seven years, becomes fit for use. IVORY. 13. Ivory is the tusk of an elephant, a hard, solid substance, of a fine, white color. 14. This tooth is sometimes six or seven feet in length, hollow from the base to a certain height, and filled with a compact, medullar substance, which seems to contain a great number of glands. QUESTIONS.-What is alum? How is it usually prepared? How is it then obtained? In what is it of great use? For what purposes is it used in the arts? What is indigo? How is it prepared? What is then done with it? How is it drained? How is it dried? For what is indigo used? Of what countries is the indigo-plant a native? What is copperas? For what is it used? What is cork? Where does it grow? What are made of the outer bark of the cork-tree? When one outer bark is taken off, how long is it before the new bark becomes fit for use? What is ivory? What is sometimes the length of an elephant's tusk or tooth? SPELLING LESSON XXIII. Ar ti cles (år' tè 'klz), n. plu. and pres. t. of Article, a distinct thing; term, stipulation, condition; a single clause or item: v. to stipulate, to covenant, to make terms. Beef, n. the flesh of an ox, bull, or cow. Chew (tsh88), v. to grind or crush with the teeth, to masticate; to ruminate. Combs (komez), n. plu. and pres. t. of Comb, an instrument to adjust, separate, and cleanse hair and wool: v. to adjust, separate, and clean with a comb. Cud, (kûd), n. a portion of food deposited in the stomach of some animals to be raised again and chewed. [turn or change into curd. Cur dled (kûr' dld), pre. of Curdle, to coagulate, to De rive', v. to receive; to deduce or trace from its original; to descend from. Differ (dif' für), v. to vary, to be unlike; to disagree; to contend; to be of a contrary opinion. Drink ing (dringk' îng), par. of Drink, to swallow liquor; to absorb: n. any liquid to be swallowed. Egypt (è' jipt), n. prop. the name of a country. Fore head (for hed), n. the upper part of the face. Gåll, n. the bile, a thick, yellow, bitter liquor separated or secreted in the liver; rancor, bitterness of mind; malignity: v. to rub off the skin; to tease, to fret, to vex. Gris tles (gris' slz), n. plu. of Gristle, a smooth, tough, firm, elastic substance, softer than a bone, cartilage. Han dles (hân' dlz), n. plu. and pres. t. of Handle, the part by which a thing is held: v. to touch; to manage; to treat of. Horn' êd, a. furnished with horns. [a compound. pres. t. of Manufacture, any thing made by hand or by art: v. to make by the hand or by art. Må nùre', n. that which enriches or fertilizes land: v. to apply enriching substances to land. [in bones. Mar row (már ro), n. a soft, oily substance contained Na ture (nd' tshåre), n. disposition; essential qualities, constitution; the state or system of the world; the visible creation; natural affection; sort, kind, species. Nile, n. prop. the name of a river in Egypt. Nour ish ment (nûr' rish `ment), n. nutrition, nutriment; sustenance, food. [increase or growth. Nu tri tious (nà trish' is), a. nourishing; promoting Ox en (ök' sn), n. plu. of Ox, a large, male animal of the cow kind. Par tic u lar (pår tîk' à lûr), a. individual, not general; singular; odd: n. a single instance, point, or cir cumstance. Par tic u lar ly (pår tik' ủ lur lẻ), ad. especially; dis tinctly; singly. Prus sian (prush' an), a. relating to a particular kind of blue; relating to Prussia: n. prop. a native of Prussia. Rè fl ning, par. of Refine, to purify, to clear from impurities; to clear from dross, &c. Riv er (riv' úr), n. a large stream or current of water. Ru mi nate (r88' mẻ `nåte), v. to chew the cud; to meditate, to muse. Serves (servz), pres. t. of Serve, to answer, to be fit; to attend or wait on; to work for; to worship. Slug gish (slûg' gîsh), a. dull, heavy, and slow; lazy, idle, slothful. Smal ler (smål' lûr), a. less; more slender or minute; weaker, more trifling. Stom achs (stum' úks), n. plu. and pres. t. of Stomach, the organ or ventricle of digestion; appetite; anger: v. to endure; to resent. Stout, a. large, strong; valiant, brave. Swal low ed (swol' lòde), pre. of Swallow, to take down the throat: n. the throat; a small bird. Tail (tale), n. the hinder part; the end. U ses (yu' siz), n. plu. of Use, utility, value, need of; consumption, employment; practice; custom; interest. Val u ed (vål'úde), pre. of Value, to esteem, estimate; to appraise; to rate: n. worth, importance; price, rate. Ves sels (vés' silz), n. plu. of Vessel, any thing in which liquids are put; a cask or utensil for liquors; a ship, &c. for navigation; a tube. White ness (hwite' nês), n. the state of being white or free from color. READING LESSON XXIII. Oxen. 1. Oxen is the general name given to horned cattle. These animals differ much in size. A large, full grown ox, is usually about five feet in height, and seven feet in length, from his forehead to the end of his back. He has a stout head, large, heavy body, long tail, and rather short legs. 2. The skin is tough, and covered with thick, soft hair. The ox is of a sluggish nature, very strong, yet gentle. There are oxen in nearly all parts of the world. Those of Egypt, about the river Nile, are as white as snow, and of a very large size. 3. The cow is the female of the ox. She resembles the ox in shape and appearance, except that her head is smaller. Some cows and oxen are without horns. 4. The natural dwelling places of these animals are the fields, which supply them with various kinds of grass in large quantities, on which they quietly feed and seem quite contented. 5. There they ruminate, or chew the cud: in other words, after they have swallowed the grass down into their stomachs, it rises up; and, returning into their mouths, where they slowly chew it over again. 6. The cow, is, perhaps, more useful to mankind than any other animal. She furnishes us with great quantities of milk, from the use of which mankind in general, but particularly children, derive the greatest nourishment. The milk, when churned, is made into butter; and, when curdled, is pressed into cheese. |