THE YOUNG SCIENTIST. 
133 
Strip around it, the thicker stalks being 
swelled out by a layer of white carded 
cotton under the paper. The smaller 
stalks, to which the buds, leaves, and 
flowers are attached, are fastened to the 
larger stalks by silken threads and paper 
fillets. And thus is a flower poppy built 
up. 
. Select any one among a score of the 
beauties of the flower-garden, and the 
processes are in a great measure the same, 
the details only differing in each case. 
The number of pieces of paper required 
for the petals, leaves, buds, etc., their 
sizes and shapes, colors and shades, 
notchings and indentings, gauffering and 
crimping, the threading and gumming of 
the petals, the degree of rolling and un- 
rolling necessary for the full-blown or 
half-blown condition of the flower, the 
imitation of the delicate tendrils of cer- 
tain flowers by means of very fine twisted 
wire, the imitation in Indian ink of the 
black markings which occur in the insides 
of certain other flowers — all have to be 
attended to, if possible, with real flowers 
as guiding patterns. Where a flower com- 
prises twenty, forty, or even sixty petals 
(which is sometimes the case), the build- 
ing up or mounting calls for the exercise 
of much tact. For some flowers, such as 
the camelia, Chinese rice-paper is pre- 
ferred, on account of its softness and 
translucency ; but being brittle, it requires 
care and delicacy in handling. 
The Six Follies of Science. 
THE six follies of science are said to be 
the following : The quadrature of the 
circle; the establishment of perpetual 
motion ; the philosopher's stone ; the 
transmutation of metals ; divination, or 
the discovery of secrets by magic; and 
lastly, judicial astrology. It is perhaps 
unwise to say that anything is impossible, 
until the impossibility is demonstrated, 
but it is certainly not the part of a wise 
man to attempt the solution of any ques- 
tion by mere hap-hazard guess work. 
With perhaps a single exception, all the 
problems above set forth have been proved 
to be impossible, because they distinctly 
and unequivocally contradict gre?.^ natural 
laws. 
miUxM §m. 
Home Arts. 
NEAKLY every reader of the Young 
Scientist must have heard of that 
pleasant little journal — Home Arts, the 
publication of which was commenced a 
few months before that of the Young 
Scientist. It was a bright little journal, 
ably edited and managed by a well-known 
publisher, whose success with The Little 
Corporal would have seemed to guarantee 
that of Home Arts. But to the ever- 
lasting discredit of those who prate about 
IJieir disgust of low, story-telling papers, 
(and their number is enough to have sup- 
ported ten such journals), Home Arts 
never had a subscription list large enough 
to pay expenses. It has, therefore, been 
consolidated with the Young Scientist. 
The following card from the publisher of 
Home Arts tells its own story : 
To Subscribers to Home Arts : 
As we found the publication of Hoivie Arts 
unprofitable, and could not afford to continue it 
longer at a loss, we have arranged with the pub- 
lishers of the Young Scientist to send two 
numbers of that journal for every single num- 
ber of Home Arts due to our subscribers. 
Hoping that this will be will be more than satis- 
factory, and that all our patrons will become 
permanent patrons to the Young Scientist, we 
bid them good speed. 
PuBiiisHER OF Home Arts. 
In carrying out this arrangement we 
have adopted the following plan : As the 
last number of Home Arts that was issued 
was that for November, 1878, it might have 
been proper to begin with the Young 
Scientist for December, 1878. As, how- 
ever, the numbers of the Young Scientist 
form each year a complete and handsome 
volume, we have omitted the number for 
December, 1878, (which would have been 
an odd one) and have commenced with 
that for January, 1879. To all subscribers 
to Home Arts, therefore, we have sent as 
many numbers (commencing with Jan- 
juary, 1879) as are due them. Those to 
! whom more than nine numbers are due 
will receive the numbers due as fast as 
; issued. Those who were subscribers to. 
