DINNER TAble. -Knives and Forks:- -Of what are the blades made?

Of steel, which is iron specially prepared. Where is Iron got?

It is found in iron-stone in the hills, and melted out of the stone.

Of what are the Knife-handles made?

Of ivory, which is got from the tusks of the elephant, or of horn from the heads of stags, or from the horns of oxen, or of the bones of different animals, or of wood,

Of what are the Plates and Dishes made?

They are made of fine clay, turned on the potter's wheel, and then baked in an oven, and made bright by melting a glazing mixture over them. Where are they made?

Mostly in Staffordshire, at the Potteries. What is Pepper?

It is the berry of a plant which grows in hot countries. What is Mustard ?

It is the seed of a plant which grows in England and elsewhere.

Where do they get Salt?

Some of it is made by boiling sea-water in large vats, but most of it is dug out of mines in the earth. There are great salt mines in Cheshire; but, indeed, there is hardly any country in which salt is not found. How are Plated things made?

They are made by putting an article-say a salt-cellar or pepper-castor, made of some inferior metal, into a

solution of silver, and then setting an electric battery to act on the solution, so that it throws down the silver on the inferior metal, coating it far more beautifully than would be otherwise possible, and far more cheaply. Why does the China on the table get that name?

Because it was first brought from China.

Is it made elsewhere now?

Yes, in Staffordshire very fine china is made; and Dresden, in Saxony, has long been famous for making it.

Why was common pottery called Delf?

Because it was formerly brought from Delft, a town in Holland.

Of what is the Table-cloth made?

Of linen, which is made from flax.

Where does the finest flax grow?

In New Zealand.

Of what is Bread made?

Of wheat flour, in England; but in other countries, the flour of barley, rye, or peas is used, or oatmeal. How is Bread made?

The flour is mixed with water, and yeast is then added to ferment or leaven it, and thus make it light and spongy.

What is Yeast?

It is a very small plant of the family of mushrooms, which grows in all fluids when they are fermenting. Yeast is just a mass of these little mushrooms, and when put in wetted flour, kept a

little warm, they spread through the whole of it, making it ferment by forming a gas which changes the state of the dough and forces itself through it, thus swelling it out.

What is done next?

The dough thus leavened is kneaded, made up into pieces of proper size, and baked in the oven. Where does Wheat grow?

In all temperate climates, from Africa to the shores of the Baltic; in all Central Asia, and in the Middle and Northern States of America, and in Canada.

Is there any wild Wheat?

No. Wheat and all the corn-plants are grasses in a state of fruitfulness unlike any others. If left to run wild they sink into useless grasses again, and cannot be raised into wheat or corn any more. They are thus a special gift of God, made for the food of man, and kept in existence only by man's labour. From what is Wine made?

From the grape, which grows on the vine. Where does the Vine grow?

The limits of the growth of the vine are a little narrower than those of wheat. From what countries do we get most of our wine?

From France, Spain, and Germany, Australia, and the Cape of Good Hope. Did the Vine ever ripen in England?

It seems that it did at the time of the Conquest (A.D. 1066), for we read of it constantly in old chronicles. How is Wine made ?

The grapes are thrown into great vats, and then pressed till the juice runs out. What is done then?

The juice is made to flow into other vats, where it remains till it ferments and turns into wine, which is then bottled and is ready for use. From what is Beer made?

From malt, which is barley damped and let lie till it sprouts. It turns sweet as it does so, and it is then put into vats and boiled with hops. After that it is let stand till it ferments, and then it is fit for use.

What are Raisins?

Dried grapes.
Where do Currants come from?

From the islands in the
Grecian Archipelago chiefly.
They used to come from Co-
rinth, and got their name
from that city.

Where do Oranges come from?

They are the fruit of a lowbranching evergreen tree, and first came from Asia. Where do they come from now?

From the countries on both sides of the Mediterranean, and from the South of France, and from Spain and the Azores.

Where do Figs come from?

The South of Europe, Asia Minor, and the warmer parts of Asia; but they do not grow in the hottest parts. They grow also in Spain and in the South of France. Is the Potato an English plant?

No; it was brought here in the sixteenth century, by Sir Walter Raleigh, from America.

Where does Rice come from?

It is a kind of grain that