giving, by its bulk, more character to the 
envelope, which is nearly square in shape. 
Monograms are quite small, and in superior 
style are printed in gilt, with one or more 
of the initials in color. People who solemn¬ 
ly believe they have descended from some¬ 
thing better than monkeys, betray their 
vanity by using envelopes bearing the family 
crest in monogram colors. For information 
received, thanks are due to A. Cakillo, 825 
Broadway, N.Y. 
The Prussian Wrap. 
I Tin accompanying illustrations form an 
additional help to the written 
II Ilk description given of this gar- 
i|||i|\ ment two weeks ago. These 
rltll pfla fl drawings were made from a 
V 7 Jlj i l model at Loan & Taylor’s in 
JjjljiI th is city. The material is of black 
/ cashmere, elaborately braided 
FwlI m! nn d bordered with fringe. A 
fmllmlii/ double box plait in the back of 
yHjm/ the cape forms what is called a 
■jiV “ Watteau ” fold. The under 
jj^Hf or lower part, of the garment is 
| cut like any ordinary loose 
| sacque with close or open 
sleeves, and fastened with but- 
l'i| tons in front. The cape is eight* 
een inches in lenglli in front, 
lil the body twenty-six inches in 
wt'il ,ront ttnd thirty-one inches in 
MM the back. It requires from three 
| Btl | to three and a half yards of 
Hi ' > double width cloth. When this 
wr;ip is mmlc ° r heavy cloth 
tlie fold in the buck is left out. 
Ladies who have long basques 
or lmsquines can add a cape and 
be fashionable. Patterns for 
braiding have already been given, so that 
when home made, these wraps can be got¬ 
ten up quite inexpensively. The price of 
this model was $36. The machine em¬ 
broidery stitch is much used upon cloth and 
looks extremely well. 
In velvet this wrap is very stylish and 
preferred by many who dislike to cut velvet 
into many pieces. The plain, deep circular 
with a Watteau fold in the hack is also com¬ 
ing into vogue with wearers of Lyons velvet. 
Dyeing Alpaca. 
Adelaide, O— Your rusty alpaca may be 
re-dyed and look like new, if properly done. 
The process is the same as for other goods, 
for aught 1 know to the contrary. 
Sillt and Crape. 
Mourning.— Trim your black silk with 
These surface lumps, however small, are val¬ 
uable for use when a slow and steady fire is 
required. Then dump the contents of the 
fire-box for future screening. Open all the 
draughts, put in the kindling, plenty of it ( 
and light. When the wood or charcoal gets 
well under way, and before it has burned 
down, spread evenly a small quantity of new 
rally found that the slowing down of com¬ 
bustion may be assured equally well by 
admitting the air of the room to the space 
over the fire, while the unobstructed flue in¬ 
sures ventilation and prevents the escape of 
the gases of combustion into the room. Open 
grates for burning anthracite usually expose 
too large a surface to insure a good draught. 
‘ventral’ for ‘central,’ and at h ‘ventral’ 
for ‘central.’ Col. 3, line 8, add ‘that’ 
after ‘conditions.’ Same column, line 25 
from bottom, strike out ‘and’ before ‘ Io.’ 
Col. 4, line 13, add a dash after season.’ ” 
ttnnxrs 
MINT WOOD’S CONVERSAZIONE, 
To Correspondent*. 
A taper of ilie size and variety of the 
Kural New-Yorker is not gotten up in a 
day or a week. This is said to remind those 
of our correspondents who write to request 
such and such illustrations and articles to 
appear for their convenience “ next week,” 
rboncttlfurr 
COOKED APPLE SEED GERMINATING. 
My attention has been called to an article 
111 a recent number of the Rural New- 
Yorker on “The Vitality of Seeds,” from 
an exchange. Tlie original article was 
written by me to the Western Farmer, as 
an inquiry. The statement that pips of an 
apple taken from a seedling, well boiled and 
served for dinner, grew, is a fact for which 
1 vouch, and to which 1 am willing to be 
sworn. 1 took them, planted them in a 
dower pot ill the house, ami thevsoon came 
up and grew several inches high, and were 
then removed. You can test it yourself, if 
you wish. You must be aware that many 
seeds will not.germinate unless scalded, espe¬ 
cially Fast. India seed.— Rev. J. W. Ford 
Mmnmuie t IK«. 
I can certify to tlie above as being true, 
as I saw them growing. An old subscriber 
to the Rural New-Yorker— It. G illicit. 
We give the above for the purpose of ask¬ 
ing the writer a question, to wit:—How do 
you know that the seedling apple trees came 
from the seed taken from the pudding ? Did 
you sift the soil placed in the pot? And do 
you know that, there were no apple seed in 
it except those planted? We have known 
CUAIU WORK-BOX. 
that “ next week ” lias passed into last week 
before their letter can possibly be received. 
An expression of just what you would like 
is wbat wo want, and will be given as soon 
as practicable. But if you only realize the 
“statu of things,” you will sec that a little 
forethought on your part, by making your 
requests somewhat in advance of the actual 
moment of need, would be wise. 
Chair Work-Box, Etc. 
Cut from a paper box or pasteboard, the 
frame for the chair, making it in size to suit 
the fancy, although nine inches in bight is 
quite enough for the back piece, tlie others 
being in proportion. Cover outside and -in¬ 
side neatly with flannel, tuurino, silk, broca- 
telle, cerlonne or any bright colored goods, 
and you have a pretty receptacle for thimble, 
thread, etc .with leaves for pins and needles. 
The bottom, which opens and shuts like a 
chest lid, is sewed on to the top of the front 
edge in an overhand stitch, which forms the 
hinge. To make this uffair suitable to the 
needs of a gentleman, (and the holidays are 
coming,) make tlie chair somewhat smaller, 
if you like, with a fixed seat, which stuff and 
upholster, to be used as a pin-cushiou. On 
the face of the back piece fasten a pocket for 
a watch case. If upholstered with pink,blue 
or green, and then covered with plain or 
dotted swiss, trimmed with narrow Valen¬ 
ciennes, and ornamented with narrow rib¬ 
bon bows, an exceedingly pretty pin-cushion 
and watch case are placed in combination, 
which any gentleman would be glad to see 
in liis room—or lady either. If one has a 
fancy for elaborateness, the upholstering ma¬ 
terial, especially if of plain satin or silk, may 
be machine stitched iu diamond shapes. 
riUutnietlc (Jin-ling Combs. 
In answer to Miss Jennie Page, I will 
say that 1 saw the advertisement of the Mag¬ 
netic Curling Comb mid Curliqne in your 
paper two years ago. Supposed that it was 
reliable; sent $3.50 for the articles mention¬ 
ed, but did not hear anything further from 
them for leu months, when I received a let¬ 
ter staling that the business had changed 
bunds, hut if I would send $1.50 they would 
forward the box. I did not do 60 , for I 
thought that was another “new dodge.” I 
have not met with one person who has seen 
such articles, but several who have been 
duped like myself. For that reason I would 
advise Miss Jennie and all other “ straight 
PRUSSIAN WRAP—FRONT VIEW. 
I coal, and feed gradually, ns the mass gets 
well ignited. This gradual and judicious 
feeding of a coal fire is important. A mass 
of crude coal dumped on to a fire will inev¬ 
itably choke and retard it. With careful 
feeding a glowing lire fit to broil cun be ob¬ 
tained, with any sort of a decent draught, in 
fifteen minutes from the time of lighting; 
while with ignorant smothering an hour will 
lie required. In dealing with an anthracite 
coal the homoeopathic plan is the true prin¬ 
ciple. When thrown on in large quantities 
the coal is disintegrated and flies off as car¬ 
bon in minute flakes or in in the form of 
soot. 
Anthracite coal should be used in lumps as 
due as the interstices of the grate will allow. 
The muss is not easily permeated by heat, as 
may be proved by removing u glowing lump 
and cracking it open with a hammer; the 
interior is still black and untouched by fire; 
so tho smaller the lumps the sooner they ig¬ 
nite. It burns wholly from Hie outside, and 
thus screenings and minute particles make a 
very hot lire. Even the ashes contain much 
combustible matter, and they are useful to 
keep up a slow lire when mixed with water 
into a sort of mortar and spread over a bed 
of living coals. Fire may thus lie preserved 
all uuy, or all night, if required, without a 
new feeding of coal. 
In screening or sifting coal, water will be 
found a useful adjunct. By drenching the 
mass of fine coal and scoria tlie ashes are 
washed from ibo small lumps of coal and 
their character exposed. In many cates 
those which would have been rejected as 
worthless are shown to he pure coal, dis¬ 
guised only by the clinging ashes. 
This may he remedied by fitting a piece of 
boiler plate to the inside of the grate bottom, 
thus diminishing the area exposed to the air. 
ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES, 
Tim Cow lilllor —Ultiilllla Coccinea.) 
Inclosed I hand you specimen of an in¬ 
sect called here by the negroes, “ Cow Kill¬ 
er." As you will see, they arc formed some¬ 
thing like the ant. They have a very long, 
poisonous stinger, the wound of which will 
sometimes lay a person up for weeks. Please 
give in Rural New-Yorker, the proper 
name.—W., Macon, Ga. 
Tbe scientific name of the iiiBect is given 
above. Why it is called “Cow Killer,” we 
have never been aide . 
to ascertain, although 1 jM 00 ** f 
frequently receiving \ 
specimens from vari- 
mis parts of the coun- 
try with this name at- 
tacked, The Mutil- J wKh 
lari® is quite an inter- * w \ 
eating and widely dis- ^ 
tributed family of insects; the females have 
no wings,but possess a powerful sting. The 
males have wings and fly about; quite brisk¬ 
ly but cannot, sting. We give an illustration 
natural size of tbe specimen you sent. The 
color is black; the forehead and miner turn 
rimtific anb 
COAL FIRES. 
lloiuluo At>i»lo Trees Wanted. 
A correspondent at Livingston, Ill., 
asks where he can get trees of the Domino 
apple. Probably any of tbe Illinois nurse¬ 
rymen can. furnish them,for they are exten¬ 
sively planted in that State. 
How to Manage Coal for Fuel —How 
to Start and Keep Fires. 
We copy the following excellent article 
from the Hartford Post:—As the season for 
keeping continuous coul fires is fast ap¬ 
proaching, some suggestions as to their 
management may not be out of place, ns 
Hie fact is incontrovertible that much waste 
of fuel and loss of beat is occasioned by 
want of knowledge and cure in this respect. 
Anthracite coal is a carbonaceous mineral, 
containing a larger per centage of carbon 
than many carbonaceous substances found 
in large masses. In rare cases this per cen- 
tago is as high us ninety or ninety-five, but 
generally less. It contains no bituminous 
substance, and does not yield inflammable 
gases by distillation. It undergoes a slow 
combustion by exposure to the atmosphere, 
reducing in bulk and deteriorating in heut- 
giving properties. It should, therefore, he 
kept under cover and not be left exposed to 
tlie influence of sun, rain and frost. Tlie 
waste by exposure is a loss to tlie dealer by 
reduction in amount, and to the consumer by 
reduction of beating power. 
In kindling autliracite caul fires a consid¬ 
erable degree of heat is required in the first 
instance. Charcoal is, therefore, preferable 
to wood, and with cither a good draught Is 
.. . . it i * .. _ 
and would thank Mr. T. W. to give place 
and date when any such offer was made. 
But he says it is standing, so I am after that 
p.dr of pigs. But if I prove what he has 
asked, I shall request him lb sell his Ches¬ 
ter Co. pigs for what lie can and forward 
me the avails, ns I do not propose to pay 
express charges on aity Chester pigs I have 
scon 3ent from Chester Co. for many years. 
I have written to Hon. J. Danforth, and 
hope soon to be able to give satisfactory 
proof to the readers of the Rural New- 
\ OB.KEK and T. W., that these pigs weighed 
just what was claimed for them. Inclosed I 
send you a statement from one of my cus¬ 
tomers unsolicited,from which you can form 
some idea of how the people feel who have 
Imd a chance to develope my pigs and those 
from Chester Co., Pa. By-tlie-hye, I re¬ 
ceived from Hon. J. Danfoutii at the time 
tiiat the weight of those pigs was taken, an 
affidavit (under seal of the Slate af Connect¬ 
icut) from three of the citizens of New Lon¬ 
don, testifying u> the weight given to be 
correct, but have mislaid it, Bui I will soon 
hear from Mr. Danfoktu. L. B. Silver. 
Mr. Silver sends tlie statement of a gen¬ 
tleman in Missouri, which goes to establish 
Hih superiority of his slock as compared 
with that received by the same man from 
Chester Co., Pa. We huve not space lbr 
scrimping” tlie amount of kindling; be 
generous in this respect and an excellent 
growing coal fire will result in a few min¬ 
utes. For broiling purposes no fire is su¬ 
perior to that of anthracite. Coke is the 
nearest approach to be implicitly relied 
upon. Tbe smokiness of bituminous coal, 
ami the combined smokiness and blaze of 
wood render either unfit for broiling a steak 
or fish, or for toasting a slice of bread, until 
tbe one is cooked and tho other reduced to a 
mass of live coals. 
To start a fire, prepare by removing with 
the hand, used as a rake, nil the solid surface 
masses. These are uncoiisnined coal; the 
scoria is of a metallic nature, and being the 
heavier, has sunk to the bottom, or to the 
vicinity of the grate, and the ashes are dis¬ 
tributed among the contents of the fire-box. 
PRUSSIAN WRAP—HEAR VIEW. 
The management of draughts and dampers what the ant family or Formicaru *. 
is an element of great importance. As be- --- 
fore remarked, in starting u fire tbe greatest Or»M Deterioration, 
possible draught should be assured. After Mr. Riley sends us tbe follow! 
the fire is well agoing, close the draught un- men Is upon the proof-reading in h 
der the grate and open the dumper above on Grape Deterioration“ Page 2( 
this fire, both or either as the occasion may par. 3, lines 4-6, read ‘wings’ lb 
demand. Better not close the damper in the and ‘ tip ’ for ‘ hips.’ In the explar 
flue leading to the chimney ; it wil be gene- figure 3, at e read ‘pupa’ for ‘ di 
1 utfffp " 1 Jlllll 
V 1 " " *'' 11 1 fill hjp' 
