to market, or put into barrels to be kept till winter. The women cut a great many apples into quarters, string them upon twine, and hang them up in the sun to dry. Dried apples are used for pies. The apples which are not gathered for eating are made into cider. There is a sort of drink made of pears, called perry. What kind of oak is the best? What is oak timber used for? Oak bark? For what is the white pine used? What is pitch pine used for? What is said of the chesnut? Of the walnut? What kind of trees are called evergreens? For what is hemlock bark used? On what kind of ground does the white maple grow? What is maple timber used for? What is the wild cherry good for? What trees are called fruit trees? What is perry? LETTER XVIII. I AM glad to hear, that you like my letters so well. I am told that you read them over several times, and that you can answer the questions. I have already told you a great many things about the State of Massachusetts, which I do not think you ever were told before; and now I will proceed to give you an account of the principal towns in the State. I will begin with the county of Essex, and go on through all the counties. You must look on the map for all the towns I shall mention. The names of the most important towns are on the map; but the names of the other towns are not put down, for fear of crowding it with too many words. Beginning at the northeast, the first considerable town in Essex county, is Newburyport. It has the least land of any town in the State. It contains only six hundred and fortyseven acres, about enough for five farms. But there are no farms in Newburyport. It is laid out into lots and streets. On each side of the streets are houses, shops, and other buildings. Nearly all the houses have gardens belonging to them. This town is on the south bank of Merrimack river, about three miles from the sea. It is one of the handsomest towns in the State. Vessels come up the river to the town, where there are many wharves and stores. Wharves are places built out into the water, to which vessels can come for the purpose of loading or unloading. The Merrimack is here about half a mile wide, and there is a beautiful bridge over it, supported in a curious manner by great iron chains. Newburyport has seven or eight meetinghouses, a court-house, jail, market house, two banks, and over six thousand inhabitants. It is thirtyeight iniles northeast from Boston. About twelve miles south of Newburyport is Ipswich. This is one of the oldest towns in the State. It has quite a large village, has a court-house, jail, house-of-correction for the county, and three meetinghouses. It is on both sides of Ipswich river, a pretty large stream, which runs northeast through the middle of Essex county, and empties into the sea at Ipswich. There is a stone bridge of two arches across the river. In this town is a factory for making lace, which is woven in a very curious sort of loom. Here is also a factory for cotton cloth, built of stone, and very handsome. In Ipswich is one of the best schools for young ladies, which is found in the State. Ipswich is twentyseven miles northeast from Boston. I shall omit the questions till I write the next letter. LETTER XIX. THIRTEEN miles south of Ipswich is Salem. This is the largest town in the county, and the oldest but one in the State. Salem is situated between two creeks, or inlets from the sea, called the north and south rivers. The tide flows up these inlets. Across the North river is a long wooden bridge, which joins Salem to Beverly. The South river forms Salem harbour. It is a pretty good harbour, but the water is not deep enough for the largest ships to come up to the wharves. There are many rich merchants in Salem, who carry on a great deal of trade. houses in Salem are of wood; of brick, and some of stone. own ships and Most of the but many are The principal street is paved with round smooth stones; and many of the houses and other buildings are handsome. The town has a fine level common, surrounded by a fence and a gravel walk, which is planted on both sides with trees. Next to Boston, Salem is the largest town in the State. It has a court-house, a jail, a large alms house, a market house, six banks, fourteen or fifteen meetinghouses or churches, and nearly fourteen thousand inhabitants. There is in this town a society called the East India Marine Society. This society has a large hall full of curious things, which the sea captains have brought home from India and from other foreign countries. You would be very much delighted to see them. In Essex county there are three shire towns, Newburyport, Ipswich and Salem. Salem is fourteen miles north easterly from Boston. Five miles southwest of Salem is Lynn. The road from Salem to Lynn, though remarkably good, is over rough, rocky hills, with scarcely a house to be seen. Lynn is built on a fine smooth plain that slopes down to the ea-shore. It is a very neat town, containing over six thousand inhabitants, and is famous for the manufacture of women's shoes. About twelve hundred thousand pairs are made in this |