SECRETARY'S PORTFOLIO. 459 



ing-wax mosses, that grow on decaying logs, and are of bright gray and scarlet; 

 the feather moss, delicately traced with russet trimmings; the thread moss, 

 whose tiny filaments are exquisite, and the gray lichens that are rendered plia- 

 ble and can be wrought into any shape, if first immersed in water. An old 

 pan, if shallow, or a tray can be made a thing of beauty with these treasures. 

 First, a sprinkling of charcoal, to prevent mould and keep it sweet; then 

 some of the black loam found where the mosses grow. A few partridge vines 

 with berries can be set in, and a pretty effect is made by a tiny lake in the cen- 

 ter, made of a bit of looking-glass, with tiny pebbles around the edge to keep 

 it in place. Edge it with white licbens and some vines or low-growing plant, 

 that will grow more luxuriantly tbere than in the little dry pot on your flower- 

 stand. I have seen pretty hanging baskets made of an old hoopskirt. by those 

 living too far from the city to purchase the wire baskets in use. They were 

 made in any shape that fancy dictated, and moss twined around the steel. To 

 make up decorations of dried moss, it must first be dipped for half an hour 

 into green dye and can then be used for word-making. Asparagus berries 

 dotted here and there are pretty, and retain their bright crimson a long time. 

 Any one fortunate enough to have a plant of mahonia has a very good substi- 

 tute for the holly in leaf and color and the bitter sweet, made into wreaths or 

 twined with princess pine, is a striking ornament. I remember that one year, 

 when snow came before it was expected and covered all the woodsy things just 

 when they were wanted, we took carrots from the cellar that had pretty tops, 

 and cutting off all the roots, except some inches nearest the feathery leaves, set 

 them into old dishes and swung them behind pictures, putting sand, charcoal 

 and water into each dish, which had to be deep. In a few days they took on a 

 rich green and flourished all through the holidays, holding between the strong- 

 est leaves a bright Christmas card fastened by a concealed pin, and but few of 

 our visitors detected the leaf of the carrot in the delicate house-grown greenery. 

 Children delight in some decoration and in winter it is especially necessary to 

 strive to brighten the dark days, when out of doors is bleak and cheerless. 



Waste of Beauty. — We are reaching the season when the public conser- 

 vatories will be patronized more, and they must furnish the floral treasures 

 which Jack Frost has taken from our gardens. Very few people who crder 

 flowers from a professional florist, make the most of what they get. A 

 bouquet is ordered. It is simply a mass of color. In its make-up beauty of 

 form is utterly neglected, the flowers are crowded together so that they lose 

 their individuality. To the true lover of flowers this is abuse. If you wish 

 to make a delicate floral gift to a friend who really enjoys their beauty, do 

 not order a bouquet at all. Select your flowers, and have your gift delivered 

 in some form, so that the full natural beauty shall be preserved. If you en- 

 joy arranging them, put them in form yourself, but if your friend has a 

 passion for handling flowers, you can do nothing more delicate than to pre- 

 sent the cut flowers, leaving the arrangement of them to the recipient of the 

 gift. — S. Q. Lent. 



Cut Flowers and Decorations. — We count ourselves unfortunate in 

 being unable to give the authorship of this practical note: In the arrange- 

 ment of cut flowers we too often make the mistake of using too many flowers 

 and too many colors together. We shall learn better if we study nature 

 more. She never makes mistakes in either respect. I believe if we could 

 trace each flower to its native home, we should know just what flowers and 



