"When we were talking about bass the other day," said Fred, "there was not time to say all I wanted to say about it. Let us start again now.
"Take a piece of the bass, Norah, and try to break it by pulling it. You cannot do so. You find it very tough and strong. It is for this reason, and also because it is very pliant, and can be easily bent or twisted, that bass is so useful.
"The bass of the bass-wood is used for making ropes, mats, shoes, hats, and other things. You know, too, how useful the bass matting is in the garden for tying-up purposes and for covering plants in the winter time.
"Teacher says much of the bast of commerce comes from Russia.
"Although, properly speaking, the name bass is confined to the inner bark of the bass-wood, we commonly apply the name to the inner bark of many other plants.
"Do you know what my white collar is made of, Norah?""It is made of linen," she replied.
"Quite right," said Fred, "but what is linen?""Linen comes from the flax plant."
"Yes, but what part of the plant gives us this linen? I don"t think you can tell. It comes from the stem. It is made from the bass-or bast-fibers of the inner bark.
