shallow pans, such as that which you see before

you.

While they were examining the pans, Agnes asked her mother a great many questions respecting the salt-works, and Mrs. Merton told her, that the salt obtained from sea-water is of so much coarser kind than that obtained from the salt-springs, that it is principally used for curing meat, and for manuring the land.

“Ah!" said Agnes, "that reminds me of a question that I have often wished to ask you, mamma. When I was at Shenstone, my cousin George told me that salt would be excellent manure for my plants, and I put some on my annuals, which were just coming up, and, would you believe it, mamma, it killed them every one."

"That," said Mrs. Merton, "was because the manure was too strong for them, and you no doubt put a great deal too much. Salt, to do good to plants, should be given to them in very small quantities, as, though all plants require some mineral substances to be mixed with their food to keep them in health, it is in such small quantities that in some plants it is only in the proportion of one to four

E

thousand; and where mineral substances are required in the greatest quantity for the nourishment of a plant, it is only in the proportion of about ten to one thousand."

"I do not think I quite understand that, mamma," said Agnes.

"Well," returned Mrs. Merton, "at any rate you will remember, that though a very small quantity of salt may be useful to plants, a large quantity will kill them, and that, consequently, it is much safer for inexperienced gardeners not to give them any."

"I remember once being told that all the places that produce salt end in wich; but the name of this place is Cowes."

I have heard that the word wich is derived from the Saxon, and that it signifies a salt-spring," said Mrs. Merton, "but of course that does not apply to salt procured from the sea.

Mrs. Merton and her daughter had now reached the beach, and ordering a boat from one of the boatmen lounging about, they stepped into it to return to West Cowes.

"But, mamma," said Agnes, who was still thinking of the salt-works, "is this the water they use

for making salt? This is the Medina, and not the sea, and the Medina is a river, is it not?"

"This part of the Medina," said Mrs. Merton, “is what is called an estuary; that is, an arm of the sea mixed with the waters of a river; the water of this estuary is salt, and affected by the tides as far as Newport."

"What makes the waters of the sea salt?" asked Agnes.

“That is a very difficult question to answer," said her mother, "but it is supposed that rivers carry salt from the earth they run through, into the sea; and as the water in the sea is continually being evaporated by the heat of the sun, the quantity of salt, in proportion to the quantity of water, soon becomes much greater in the sea than in the river, and hence the water becomes much salter."

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Why, mamma,” cried Agnes, "that is just what is done in the salt-pans."

"The

"You are right," returned her mother. salt manufacturers observing the process of nature, have imitated it as well as they could, by applying artifical heat to evaporate the water. What is called bay-salt, is formed by the sea-water left in the clefts

of the rocks by the tide evaporating naturally, and leaving a saline crust behind; and this salt takes its name from the sea-water being frequently thus left in bays. But see, here is the Fountain Inn, where I have no doubt your papa is waiting dinner for us."

CHAPTER III.

Morning Walk through West Cowes. Ride to Newport.Carisbrook Castle.-Children of Charles I.-Donkey Well.Chapel of St. Nicholas -Boy Bishop.-Archery Meeting.-History of the Isle of Wight.-Bows and Arrows.

THE next morning Agnes and her mamma both rose early; and as Mr. Merton felt inclined to take some repose, they went out by themselves to take a walk before breakfast. They were advised to visit the Parade and the Castle; and, accordingly, they bent their way down the main street of the town, and soon found themselves on the beach. They strolled gently along a terrace, supported by a sea-wall, till they arrived at a part which was semicircular, and which was backed by a small battery, pierced for eleven guns. This wall forms the boundary of the garden of a moderate-sized house, which, they were told, was called the Castle. This building had been formerly a fort, built by Henry VIII., at the same