1865.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
157 
grow ■with vigor, and prepare the bulb for anoth- 
er effort, and cultivate and water in such a man- 
ner as will conduce to this end. Bulbs are sold 
by the florists for about thirty cents each. 
The Common Periwinkle. — ( Vinca minor). 
Scarcely any plant now cultivated in our 
gardens has been longer known than the 
Periwinkle. It is the Vinca Pervinca of Pliny, 
which Latin name has been converted into Peri- 
winkle. In this country, the plant is commonly 
called Myrtle and Running Myrtle, names which 
are incorrect and should be dropped. The 
plant has nothing in common with the true 
5Iyrtle, except both have smooth, thick, dark 
green leaves. The figure represents the Small 
Periwinkle, Vinca viinor, which is much more 
common in our gardens than the Greater Peri- 
winkle, Vinca major. The two resemble one 
another in general appearance, but the last 
named has much larger leaves and a more 
erect growth. They both produce an abund- 
ance of pretty blue flowers. On account of 
their long, flexible stems, and bright green leaves, 
they are very useful in making up wreaths. In 
Italy, the large species is called " flower of the 
dead," on account of its being used .is garlands 
at funerals. Both species are natives of Europe, 
and are quite hardy in tliis country. They are 
evergreens, trailing on the ground, where the 
prostrate stems strike root, and form a dense 
mat, the foliage completely coucealing the stems 
and the ground. The plant is generally put in 
some out of the way corner, and left to itself, 
but it is prstty enough to deserve more care 
than it usually receives. A mound planted 
with the small Periwinkle, is soon covered with 
its rich, dark green foliage, and forms a pleasing 
object. The plant is adapted to trail upon rock 
work, and over the edge of a rustic basket. Its 
greatest utility, however, is found in the fact 
tliat it flourishes in the shade, and under the drip 
of other plants, and it is often the most avail- 
able thing to cover bare spots in those places 
where it is difficult to make grass grow. There 
are variegated sorts, of both species, which have 
their leaves edged and marked with white or 
yellow. One of the best of these is called by 
th'; florists Viiicii dc^jiiatimmK. A bed of it 
upon a lawu or elsewhetfii produces a fine effect. 
What is Glycerin? 
The above question is asked by a correspondent, 
and as its answer may interest more than one read- 
er, we give it in the household columns. Glycerin 
is A remarkable contribution of modern science 
to the arts, and as its utility for different purposes 
has been manifested, corresponding improvements 
have taken place in its manufactnre, and it Is now 
produced in great purity and at moderate price. 
But this is not telling what glycerin is. It is a 
principle which exists in fats, and all fats are a 
combination of glycerin and some acid. Lard, after 
the lard oil has been pressed out, is mainly a com- 
pound of stearic acid and glycerin. In the process 
of manufacturing the finer kinds of candles, this 
compound is broken up and the stearic acid is used 
for candles, while the glycerin is purified and put 
into the market. Glycerin is a thick, colorless 
liquid, of a syrupy consistence, and when well made 
has no odor. Its name is from the Greek word, 
meaning sweet, and indicates one of its prominent 
characters — its sweetness. It is remarkable for its 
undrying qualities ; when spread out and exposed to 
the air it remains for a long while unchanged. It 
mixes readily with water and with alcohol, but not 
with oils, and has a remarkable solvent power for 
many substances. It is largely used in medicine as 
a solvent for various drugs, and is also employed as 
a substitute for sugar in medicin.il preparations. 
In domestic use it forms a most excellent applica- 
tion to chapped or inflamed surfaces, as it keeps 
the p.arts from the air, and is free from the incon- 
venience which attends the use of oily matters. 
Properly diluted with water, it forms a popular h.air 
dressing which keeps the hair moist, and is much 
less objectionable than many of the preparations 
sold for the purpose. As glycerin does not readily 
evaporate nor freeze it is used in cities to put into 
gas meters. It is also largely used in the place of 
molafsses to mix with glue to form the rolls by 
which ink is applied to type. These are among the 
more common uses — others, such as in mounting 
microscopic preparations, are of less general inter- 
est. Doubtless many other useful applications will 
be found for this interesting chemical product. 
Mounting Maps and Pictures. 
Maps or any drawings on paper are rendered 
much more durable if they have a mounting or 
backing of some kind of cloth. The operation is a 
very simple one. The cloth, some inches larger each 
way than the paper, is tacked upon an ironing ta- 
ble or some smooth surface. The success of the 
operation depends m.ainly upon the care with which 
the cloth is tacked. It should lay square, aud the 
tacks be put in very closely along the edges, not far- 
ther than an inch apart. The selvage will give but 
little trouble, but the raw edges will need to be 
doubled overwhere the tacks are put in, to prevent 
them from tearing out. The tacks are not driven 
home, but are left with the heads high enough to 
allow them to be removed by means of a tack lifter 
or strong knife. The cloth, which may be any kind 
of strong cotton fabric, being ready, lay the map or 
whatever paper is to be mounted, face down, on a 
cle.an surface, and give its back a good coat of stiff 
flour paste, evenly applied. The paste should be 
as stiff as will work with a brush, and be perfectly 
free from lumps. In applying the paste, be sure to 
get the edges well covered, and if any lumps, or 
hairs from the brush are left upon the surface, re- 
move them carefully by means of a case knife or pa- 
per folder. The paper being tboroughly p.asted, let 
two persons take it by the four corners and place 
it, p.asted side down, upon the cloth. With a little 
care it can be laid quite smoothly. If the paper is 
very long, let the centre touch the cloth first, and 
gradu.ally let the whole down on to the cloth. 
Then take a perfectly cIcliu Uauilkerchief or soil 
napkin and by .i swcepiug motion from the center 
to the edges, press out any air bubbles that may 
appear, and see that the edges of the paper are in 
close cont.act with the cloth. As it dries, the pa- 
per will appear badly wrinkled, .and the job will 
look like a failure, but wait until it is thouroughly 
dry, and if the tacking has been well done and the 
paste good, the paper will be perfectly smooth. 
We have laid considerable stress upon the tacking 
for this reason : Wheu the paper is pasted, it 
stretches, and in this condition it is applied to the 
cloth. As it dries, it contracts with a great deal of 
power, and the cloth must be thoroughly tacked to 
resist this force. We have in this way mounted a 
number of sheets 9 feet long, and .5 feet wide, with 
perfect success. Wheu all is dry, remove the tacks 
and cut the cloth down to the size of the paper. 
Varnishing Furniture. 
The appearance of furniture may be greatly im- 
proved by a coat of good varnish, which a skillful 
housekeeper may lay on quite as well as some 
manufacturers of furniture. The proper tools and 
materials are quite as essential as skill in order to 
varnish neatly. A clean, light and warm room is 
indispensable, unless it can be done in the open 
air, in warm weather. When varnish is exposed 
to sunshine it is apt to blister. If applied to 
cold or greasy furniture sometimes it " crawls," 
and settles down in ridges. When furniture does 
not take varnish well, rub it thoroughly with a 
cloth dipped in alcohol, or benzine. Then keep it 
in a warm room until all the wood has been well 
w.armed through. When the varnish is being laid 
on, let it be kept warm, by standing in a kettle of 
water nearly boiling hot. 
Procure a small varnish brush, not apaint brush, 
for varnishing chairs, and take only a Email quan- 
tity of varnish on the brush at once. Spread it 
evenly and thin, and work it well with tbe brush 
When entirely dry, apply another thin cont. A be- 
ginner can do a much better job by laying on 
two thin coats than only one heavy coat. 
There is great difTercnce in varnish that is sold 
for a given kind. Unless one has tested its drying 
quality, it well be well to try it on a piece of cheap 
furniture, to ascertain whether it will dry well. 
Varnish that will stick to every thing that touches 
it, is a vexatious nuisiince. Let such varnish or 
paint be rubbed thoroughly with good benzine, 
and afterwards two coats of good varnish applied. 
Walls that have been papered, may be varnished 
after a thin coat of glue-w.ater h,is been applied to 
keep the varnish from striking into the paper. 
When varnish is laid directly on the paper, most of 
it will be absorbed, and there will be little gloss. 
» I ■■■ — » » 
Suggestions About Carpets. 
Our correspondent "T. G.," speaks of carpets as 
follows : " Carpets are a nuisance as they are or- 
dinarily managed. They are tacked down at spring 
cleaning .and serve as filters through which all the 
fine dirt passes and remains as a subsoil of impal- 
pable powder. At every sweeping some of the sur- 
face dirt goes down through the carpet, and a por- 
tion of that which was below is worked up through 
it and difi'used through the room, and finally set- 
tles on the furniture and in the air passages of the 
occupants of the room. Let .any housekeeper — 
even the most scrupulously neat, take up her car- 
pets after they have been down for the winter and 
see what a stratum of dirt she h.xs been living 
over. It is a peculiar Americanism to have every 
room carpeted all over. The carpet is ccnsidered 
as a mark of respectability, aud it will icquire a 
courageous disregard for Mrs. Gruudy to receive 
her in an uncarpeted room. Yet I believe that the 
reform will come at length, and instead of putting 
a carpet over tbe floor to cover unsightly carpen- 
ters' work, we shall have neatly inlaid floors of col- 
ored wood, which can be kept perfectly clesin and 
look well. If a warm place is needed for the feet 
in winter, several large rugs may be provided, ia 
one pf the most cosy, best furnished rooms, i 
