It is well to ascertain if _stockings_ do not have some effect in giving a bad shape to this part of the foot, although made of such yielding materials that they may at first thought, appear harmless. Mr. James Dowie, in a work published in England some years since, speaking of the toes being cramped, crowded, bent, and piled over each other, attributes part of this result to the stocking, and recommends the wearing of one having _toes_ on it—similar to the fingers on a glove. There is no reason to doubt that this conclusion is correct, for while a stocking that is loose may be drawn into almost any shape to suit the toes, one which is _tight, short, and narrow-toed, must, and does, draw the toes together and keep them so_, however favourable may be the form of the boot outside. It is a fact, too, that stockings are narrow and pointed at the toe; almost universally. The suggestion of putting _toes_ to them is a good one. But if this is thought to be taking too much pains with such an article—though it is evidently impossible to take too much pains in dressing any part of the body so as to protect it from being injured in any manner—it is perfectly easy to make the stocking _wider_ at this part, leaving it _nearly square, or with only a slight roundness at the end_. This would be a very decided improvement, and cannot be urged too strongly.[2] Like the defects of the shoe, those of the stocking must be felt more seriously by children. They are ignorant of the matter, and would be careless and inattentive even if they were not. But if parents will half do their duty by them, there is no reason why they should not grow up with well-formed feet, thankful for the care which has saved them from distortion and blessed them with pedal comeliness.