346 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[September 
fern frond, with the fruit-dots on the under-side; each one 
of these dots is, when young, covered with a little shield, 
which, when the plant is old, is often not easily found. 
Under this is a cluster of curious bodies called spore- 
cases , and very pretty things they 
are, when you examine them with 
the microscope. They are usually 
brownish, each little case upon 
a stalk, and around the case a 
jointed band, as seen in figure 6. 
When the spore-case is ripe, this 
band straightens out, and tears 
the case open to let out its con¬ 
tents . Being a spore-case, you will 
have guessed that the contents are 
spores. If you shake a fern leaf 
over a sheet of white paper, when 
these spore-cases are mature, you 
will collect a very fine dust, the 
spores; these are minute grains, 
some of which are shown in figure 6, which is of course 
greatly magnified. Each one of these minute spores can 
Answer the Purposes of a Seed 
in producing a new plant, but it is not a real seed, as it 
has not, like a true seed, a little plant, or embryo inside 
of it. The manner in which it grows to produce a new 
plant would hardly be understood by youngsters, and 
you must let that go at present, as one of the things to 
be learned hereafter. A few of our ferns do not produce 
3 and 4, and one each, of figs. 1 and 2. If one of the 
large pieces contains about 120 holes the long way, and 
50 holes across the width, cut the slits as directed by the 
number of holes in the pattern (fig. 2); otherwise you 
Fig. 5. —PART OF A FERN FROND. 
their spore-cases in fruit-dots on the back of the leaves, 
but I can not now describe these. All the leaves you 
will find on a fern will not bear fruit-dots, these are 
called “barren fronds,” while the others are “fertile 
fronds.” You will find great beauty and a wonderful 
variety in the forms and markings of the ferns; indeed 
they are so delicate and graceful that many are gathered 
and pressed, to be used as ornaments, and to make 
Fern Pictures and Bouquets. 
To collect ferns for this purpose, a portfolio with paper 
should be taken on your fern hunt. 
Old newspapers between two stiff 
pasteboards will answer. The rea¬ 
son for this is that many of the most 
delicate begin to wither and curl up 
as soon as gathered, and by the 
time you reach home they will be 
useless. By putting them in press 
at once, this is avoided. As most 
ferns contain but little moisture, if 
plenty of dry paper be used but lit¬ 
tle changing will be needed. You 
should keep the ferns under pres¬ 
sure until you wish to use them in making up.—I shall 
have to tell you a little about mosses another time. 
Fig. 6.—YOUNG 
FROND. 
Aunt Sue’s €lmts. 
C. C. F. wants to know “ what will kill the nerve of a 
tooth—and what will remove freckles ?’’—You should 
apply to a dentist to kill the nerve; he killed one of mine 
very easily. Lemon- 
juice and many other 
remedies are pro¬ 
posed for freckles, 
but I never yet met 
any one who had 
been benefited by 
their use. If your 
skin is of the freck¬ 
ling sort, and you go 
out into the sun and 
air, yon will get 
freckled; even if yon 
should get rid of one 
set, yon would soon 
get another. Your 
best plan is to not care two cents about the matter, 
but to be pleasant and jolly, so as to make you and 
your freckles welcome wherever you may go. 
Mollie. — A “diamond wedding” is celebrated 
seventy-five years after marriage. A golden wedding, 
fifty years ; a silver wedding, twenty-five years ; crystal, 
fifteen; tin, ten; wooden, five; and paper, one year. 
Mamie.—A very pretty “gift, for less than a dollar,” 
is a Sewing-silk Case made of perforated card-board, rib¬ 
bon, etc. Get a sheet of pretty finely perforated card, and 
cut from it two pieces, each of the size and shape of figs. 
Fig. 4.—END OF SILK CASE. 
•AUNT SUE’S SEWING SILK CASE. 
must be guided by your eye. When cut they arc lifted 
up slightly, to tuck the silk-winders under. On the 
other large piece, work the word “ silks; ” then put the 
two pieces back to back and bind them all round with 
lute-string ribbon -J of an inch wide (blue or any color 
you prefer). Bind all the other pieces, singly, with the 
same ribbon, then overhand them 
together as in fig. 6 (next page). 
Some little design may be em¬ 
broidered on the pointed pieces, 
for ornament, or a pretty little 
picture may be stuck on each. 
Sew a ribbon-string to each point. 
Cut, out of plain white card-board, 
seven winders, the shape of figure 
5. Wind two or three different 
colored silks on each winder, and 
tuck them in under the “ slits.” 
Cut one or two slits in each 
winder (fig. 5, next page) to fasten 
the ends of the silk after wind¬ 
ing. The two side pieces (fig. 
3) should just meet when closed 
over the silk-winders. Shut these up first, then turn the 
end pieces over and tie them together with ribbons. 
Thanks for puzzles, letters, etc., to “Boby,” Louisa 
J. S„ “Little Boy,” B. D. T.. Eflie S„ C. M. M., Willie, 
Birdie, Sarah J. W., John J., Dot, Amanda G. C., 
Moppet, and G. W. Z. 
HIDDEN HOUSEHOLD ARTICLES. 
1. Fred, is Harry ready to take a stroll ? 
2. Our walk was most romantic ! Up hill and down dale. 
3. In the afternoon we walked up and down the street. 
4. Oh ! Charlie is too liberal, altogether. 
5. He says he doesn’t care for King or Queen. 
6. Does Mat owe less than Tom ? 
7. Please get me an extra yard for a pocket. 
$. Sew the bow loosely on the side. 
9. She was lovely;—nose classic, hair luxuriant, form 
perfect. 
10. What a goose he was to veto such an excellent 
proposition. 
CROSS-WORD. 
My first is in blossom but not in leaf. 
My next is in robber but not in thief, 
My third is in hover but not in fly, 
My fourth is in plodding but not in ply. 
My fifth is in buzzing but not in hum. 
My sixth is in finger but not in thumb, 
My seventh is in liking but not in love, 
My eighth is in pigeon but not in dove, 
My ninth is in garden but not in plot, 
My tenth is in drunkard but not in sot, 
My eleventh is in anchor but not in stay, 
My twelfth is in fodder but not. in hay, 
My thirteenth is in shilling but not in cent. 
My fourteenth is in circus but not in tent: 
My whole smooths many a pathway, 
Dispels full many a fear, 
It comforts many a sorrow, 
And dries full many a tear. 
Aaiut Sue’s Piizzle-ltox. 
CLASSICAL ACROSTIC. 
The initials name a hero of antiquity; and the finals a 
mythical king of Italy, to whom was ascribed the intro¬ 
duction of agriculture. 
1. A son of Zeus, who, even as a baby, displayed the 
qualities which betokened a capacity for mercantile 
pursuits. 
2. A monster, the upper part of whose body was that 
of a maiden, while the lower was that of a serpent. 
3. Was usually said of animals only, but Virgil said of 
man. 
4. Is the typical part of the name of a promontory of 
the Tauric Chersonese. 
5. Was one of the distinguishing appellations of 
“ Gallia ” or Gaul. 
6. Was a priest of Apollo. 
7. Is a Latin interjection. 
8. Was a celebrated gladiator, who defied Rome in vain. 
J. A. B. 
NUMERICAL ENIGMAS. 
1. I am composed of 29 letters : 
My 12, 4. 23, 2, 6, is an Indian boat. 
My 1, 13, 3, 8, is a title. 
My 28, 19, 26, 17, 11, 9, is a field flower. 
My 10, 29, 24, 27, is a vegetable. 
My 7, 16, 22, 5, is proud. 
My 15, 14, 3, 21, is a girl’s name. 
My 25, 18, 20, 19, is a place for money. 
My whole is a proverb translated from the Latin. 
Albert and Augusta. 
2. I am composed of 9 letters : 
My 9, 3, 6, is a kind of frutt. 
My 2, 5, 6, 1, is a kind of fruit. 
My 4, 8, 7, 9, is a piece of money. 
My whole we should all acquire, if possible. 
Imogen Weld. 
SQUARE WORD. 
1. Marks of injury. 2. To grumble. 3. An artery. 4. 
Calamus of India. 5. Axeltree iron. Little Folks. 
ANSWERS TO PUZZLES IN THE JULY NUMBER. 
Enigmatical Bouquet. — 1. Iris. 2. Tulips. 3. Sweet 
pea. 4. Candy-tuft. 5. Catchfly. 6. Dew-drop. 7. A rose. 
Puzzle.— CIVIL. 
Cross-word.— Bartholomew 
Numerical Enigmas. — 
1. “ That life is long which 
SWPI’S lifp’c OTPflt pnrl ” 
J 
-e INCHES..4-g 
Square Word. 
ABLE 
BEET 
LEFT 
answers life’s great end.” ® T f - A - 
(Up to date [July 18th], Bessie [of Newburypovt] is the only 
one who has sent an answer to this enigma.) 2. Fish 
geranium. 3. Sweet corn. 4. Harmoniplion. 
Correspondents will save time, if they will address 
their letters (to Aunt Sue) to Rowayton, Fairfield Co., 
Conn., from July to December of this year. But please 
remember that Aunt Sue is not Orange Judd Co. ; the 
latter must be addressed at 245 Broadway, N. Y. City. 
Aunt f*olIy’s Visit to tlie City. 
BY AUNT POLLY. 
Well! ’Liza Jane, I’m glad to be to hum, though I did 
hev a nice time, and seen a powerful lot of things. I 
might as well begin to the beginnin’ and tell you all about 
it. You see goin’ as I did, rather sndden, there was no 
one there to meet me to the station; but Lucy’s folks 
livin’ near, I didn’t hev no great amount o’ trouble to find 
’em. When I got to the front door, I jest stopped in 
wonderment, for there was two winders in it of colored 
glass for all the world like a clmrch, and I think it’s 
persumin' to imitate the House of God in that manner. 
Well, the door was opened by a colored gentleman dressed 
up spruce, I can tell you, with a white necktie, and 
gloves, if you please, to say nothin’ of a swallertailed coat. 
And as I told Lucy afterward, 1 thought it was extrav¬ 
agant and highfalutin’ to dress him so 
fine, and if she wanted, I’d send her the 
pattern I make John Henry’s clothes by, 
and then she could make ’em herself. 
Well, when I said I’d like to see Mrs. 
Orson, if he didn’t go and hold out a 
waiter; and I tell yon I was scared, for I 
didn’t know but what he wanted money, 
and as lie see how surprised I was, says 
he, “ your card, ma’am.” Then says 
; w 
' in 
x 
I 
m 
Fig. 3.— SIDE-PIECE OF AUNT SUE’S SEWING SILK CASE. 
I, “ I ain’t got no card; you can jest go up and tell ’em 
* * * * 
* 
****** 
letter of the bottom word. 
HOLLOW SQUARE. 
Top—is an inventor. Base—is moderate¬ 
ly. Left side—is a countryman. Right 
side—to explain. First letter of top 
word is also first letter of left word. 
Last letter of top word is first letter of 
right word. Last letter of left word is first 
Try Again. 
Aunt Polly Beacon’s come.” 
You ought t’hev seen the room I slept in. I allow 
t'was purty fine, but there was some things I didn’t like 
about it. They told me to ring the bell if I wanted any¬ 
thing, but I didn't see no bell, only a row ’o little knobs 
on the wall that I darsn’t touch for the world. Then the 
