16 
January, 1880. 
/ OR CH RR D 
fa.'-KKK'- t K\JJ .N lkAAA^A^AkALl--V,^ W 
GARDEN 
A Happy Now Year. 
For some months past we have felt anxi- 
ous to become better acquainted with our 
readers, and also to have them know more 
of each other. To this end we have made 
an arrangement for the New Year which we 
believe will add greatly to the interest and 
usefulness of the Household Department, 
We intend to devote a portion of our space 
each month to extracts from letters from 
our readers. Hence we invite you all to 
write to us. Of course it will not be pos- 
sible to print all the letters, probably not the 
whole of any one. But the letters will all be 
read by the editor and those portions selected 
for publication which seem most general in 
their interest. 
Our object, as we have said, is two-fold ; 
first , that we may know more of the fami- 
lies into which Orchard & Garden goes ; 
and. secondly, that the women who read 
Between Two Doors. Fig. 1627. 
the Household Department may help each 
other by an interchange of views, plans, 
methods of work, etc. Almost every house- 
keeper has learned some things by her own 
experience which are original with her but 
would be valuable to others. Then too, al- 
most every housekeeper (this is especially 
true of the younger ones) has some ques- 
tions which she would be glad to have an- 
swered by those of wider experience. Of 
especial value will be information in regard 
to work by which women have wholly or 
partly supported themselves at home, such 
as canning and preserving fruit, raising bees 
or chickens. 
We believe that many women, who are 
now injuring their eyes and health by the 
close and confining work of sewing, might 
earn more and enjoy more as florists, small- 
fruit raisers, or by other less-tried methods. 
We shall hope to hear from some of our 
readers who have succeeded in such direc- 
tions concerning the causes of their success, 
and also the difficulties and discourage- 
ments in their line of work. We hope that 
all will co-operate and make this new fea- 
ture of the paper a success from the start. 
Ask any question you like, make any sug- 
gestion you please, tell any thing that in- 
terests you, write on one side of the paper 
only, and give your name and address in 
full, though cot for publication. Address 
all such communications to the Editor of the 
Household Department of Orchard & Gar- 
den, Little Silver, N. J. 
After tlic Holiday*. 
At the present time the holiday season 
brings so many gifts and pretty trifles that 
in some families it is a serious question what 
to do with all the new possessions. The 
house seemed full before Christmas, but 
A Quiet Corner. Fig. 1626. 
kind friends have added pictures, books, 
chair-backs, scarfs and bric-a-brac. Some 
of them are just what we wanted and fit at 
once into their appropriate niches. But 
others are not so satisfactorily disposed of. 
In many homes, cither from a love of dis- 
play, or for fear of offending the donors, the 
parlor and sitting-room are cluttered with a 
variety of inharmonious articles. Witness 
a room, in which the writer lately sat, where 
the walls were covered with amateur 
paintings, embroideries, decorated mir- 
ror in plush frame, a minute ther- 
mometer on a large piece of elabo- 
rately embroidered plush, gilded ear of corn, 
repousse work, five sachet bags of different 
styles, an embroidered tambourine and 
■ Cluttered up.” Fig. 1631. 
several other things not quite so conspicu- 
ous ; while a crazy table spread, eight t idies 
or cliair-backs, balsam pillows and bags, 
mantel and picture scarfs, and decorated 
milking stools added to the display. The 
effect of course was tawdry and common- 
place. There was one fine picture in the 
room, but its beauty was greatly marred by 
its surroundings. 
A wall should never be cluttered with 
meaningless ornaments simply to cover the 
space. Two or three fine pictures give an 
air of elegance and refinement to a room 
and are an education in themselves. Our illus- 
trations figs.1626 and 1631 will serve to shc^v 
the difference between quiet good taste and 
cheap and vulgar display. Instead of crowd- 
ing all your possessions into one or two 
rooms, distribute them throughout the 
house, with an eye ta appropriateness and 
congruity. Seven or eight little sachet bags 
of a delicate color, suspended by narrow 
ribbons of unequal length and a contrasting 
color suggest beauty and fragrance and are 
a dainty accessory hanging over a mirror in 
“ my lady’s chamber,” but are absurd over 
an oil painting in the parlor. If after dis- 
tributing, the rooms still look crowded and 
cluttered, put away some of the pretty 
things to be brought out again when the 
present arrangement grows tiresome. 
Children’* Toys. 
It is wise to have a suitable place provided 
for the children’s toys and to teach them to 
keep their possessions in order. Of course, 
where there is a nursery this can be arrang- 
ed without difficulty. But in the majority 
of homes, it is not convenient to give up a 
whole room for this purpose, and the toys 
must often be kept in the sitting, dining, or 
sleeping room. Some mothers provide a 
Book Shelves. Fig. 1632. 
chest, box, or part of a closet, into which 
the playthings are tossed in disorder. A 
better method is to have shelves on wliich 
¥ 
the things may be arranged and kept in 
order. Even in small rooms a little ingen- 
uity will provide something of this kind in 
which the children will take great comfort 
as their own. 
In Fig 1627 “Between two Doors,” we see 
how a little space has been happily utilized 
in this way. A packing box of the right 
size to fit the space is lined with wall paper 
and covered with thin oil cloth. Two boards, 
also covered with paper, are fitted in for 
shelves, and your little boy has a place for 
his books, blocks, games and toy printing 
press, or your little girl has the dearest doll- 
house imaginable. A slender rod with 
brass rings may be added at tho top on 
which hang a pretty curtain to protect 
the treasures from dust. A carpenter can 
make a larger and more commodious set of 
shelves, as shown in Fig. 1632 to accommo- 
date books of different sizes, boxes, games, 
and toys, as shown in this figure. 
Appetizing Supper Dishes. 
Families, in which a hearty dinner is 
served in ths middle of the day, need only 
