70 
THE YOUNG SCIENTIST. 
formed as in Figs. 1 and 2. These were 
stuck all over the asphalt and about the 
base of the coral wherever the asphalt 
was exposed. 
Those who do not live near the sea 
Fig. 2. 
shore, where shells and sea weeds can be 
obtained, but who can procure the coral 
or have it on hand, should not think of 
using it and covering the asphalt coat- 
mosses and cones. These window orna- 
ments at best would be condemned by a 
person of severe aesthetic tastes, but there 
is no excuse for deliberately burlesquing 
nature by having a mass of coral from 
the East Indies starting out from a bed of 
lichens from Maine. 
You must follow the order and harmony 
of nature. For instance, take branches of 
the liquid amber (which in form and habit 
is very suggestive of coral) as a substitute 
for the coral ; for the seaweeds use wood 
mosses and lichens ; for the band of scallop 
shells, use a band of dried and pressed 
oak leaves, with acorns fastened on here 
and there. In this way you will obtain 
the rich grays, browns, and greens of the 
woods. If you have any preserved butter- 
flies or beetles, by all means fasten on a 
few of them, but don't plaster all over 
with bugs. Don't torture nature like a 
Fig. 
ing with wood mosses and the burrs and 
cones of the woods, as no combination can 
be so out of place, out of keeping, and 
offensive to good taste, as sea shells and 
corals brought in conjunction with wood 
barber I know of, whose place I carefuliv 
avoid, who decorates (as he thinks) his 
windows with sweet potatoes, turnips, 
beets, and carrots, scooped out, filled with 
water, and suspended upside down. The 
