MOOBE’3 BUBAL WEW-YOBKER. 
23© 
i ©ST.If 
xlomcfitic (Bcononnr. 
DINNER TABLE DECORATIONS. 
We copy the following article and the 
accompanying illustration (see page 237) from 
The Garden, an English publication. It will 
afford the readers of the Rural New-Yorker 
hints by which they may profit. During 
the autumn and winter season these florid 
embellishments arc specially desirable. Their 
arrangement need not be of an expensive 
character, while a most charming variety 
may be indulged in to almost any extent by 
those who possess a keen sense of the beauti¬ 
ful in nature and art. The general arrange¬ 
ment for a small pa rty of six to eight persons 
is to have three of these light stands, the 
central one a few inches taller than the 
others, or even if they are all of the same 
liight, a little tact in arranging the longest 
spikes of flowers, or sprays of foliage, in the 
central vaso will remedy this sameness and 
formality. Another arrangement is to have, 
a March stand for the center piece, and a pa ir 
of simple glass vases—the plain trumpet 
pattern being preferable—one on each side, 
while occasionally, for a very small party, 
one stand neatly furnished will be sfilliciently 
effective. 
As to the manner in which Mowers should 
be arranged no amount of written instruc¬ 
tions would teach so much a.;- a glance at the 
accompanying illustrations—which huve been 
carefully made from first prize groups. Next 
to ferns, ornamental grasses occupy a promi¬ 
nent position, some of the common species 
being invaluable for dinner table decoration. 
There is a delicate grace about them not 
posiessed by a ny other plants, and they have 
the. additional advantage of lasting for any 
length of time when carefully dried. Some 
of the more delicate growing Horse-tails are 
valuable aids in this way, and keep fresh for 
a long time in water, while feathery sprays 
of the common Asparagus have few equals 
for delicate green freshness and beauty. 
Nearly all ferns may lie pressed into this 
service, and among flowering plants the most 
useful for this purpose vary according to the 
season, but preference should be given to 
bold flowers of graceful form and decided 
colors. Eucharls Valid ta, many kinds of 
Lilies, Crinums, Pancratiums, and the lovely 
blue African Lily {Agupanthw) are specially 
to be recommended. The wax-like flowers 
of both the rosy and white Lap.ageria may 
be neatly mounted on wires and suspended 
from the margins of the vase, where they 
look natural and have a good elf iet.. Sprays 
of Jasmine, white Bouvardias, and pearly 
Stephanotis will suggest themselves for this 
use, and some Orchids are very chaste and 
beautiful. 
The use of the choicest exotics may be 
indulged in, if they are procurable, but they 
are by no means absolutely essential in order 
to compose a truly effective vase. The dec¬ 
orations here figured contain very few flow¬ 
ers, and still they were very beautiful and 
much admired by all who saw them. The 
bases of the stands are concealed by a fringe 
of large Fern froads, on which are laid flow¬ 
ers of the snowy Eucharis and the fiery 
Scarborough Lily alternately. Among these, 
the beautiful blue buds and flowers of Aga- 
panthus umbelluius peep here and there, 
bright as the sky on a line autumnal day, and 
the effect of tiio lower part is still further 
enhanced by the judicious use of Lagxirus 
ovatus and other graceful ornamental grasses. 
The tier above is fringed with Maiden hair 
Ferns, beneath which hang the beautifully- 
formed blooms of both the rosy and white- 
flowered L ipagerias. The other flowers 
here, as below, a,re Eucharis and Valiota, 
with the addition of Framciscea c alycinn, 
Rondetclia speciosa , and blue African Lily. 
The trumpet-shaped vases above are lightly 
filled with spikes of Chclone barbata or scar¬ 
let Pentstemon and light grasses, the whole 
forming a most charming arrangement. The 
trumpet-shaped vases above are filled with 
water, but the flat receptacles below, which 
are concealed by the flowers and drooping 
foliage, arc filled with wet sand, which is 
equally as good for preserving the flowers, 
and also afforels a firmer hold, each flower 
remaining in it exactly where it is placed. 
FEUIT ON THE TABLE. 
First in the list of dinner-table decorations 
we would place a dish of choice fruit. There 
is something quite appetizing in the appear¬ 
ance of such an ornament, although it does 
not lead to gluttony ; and a cheerful looking 
table tends greatly to put those who surround 
it in the same mood, and thereby aid diges¬ 
tion. Apples and pears are very abundant 
in almost every part of the country ; but 
judging from our own observation nob one 
housewife in twenty ever thinks of setting a 
dish of them upon the table to bo eaten with 
the regular meals at the very time that fruit 
should be used to promote health. It may 
not always lie convenient to have fruit upon 
the table, but other things may’ boused to 
take its place as an ornament if not for food. 
ROWERS ON THE TABLE. 
In summer a bouquet of flowers set in a 
vase, or a few sprigs of some handsome 
plants, no matter whether Lhe-y are rare or 
otherwise, let something of this kind be used 
to make the table look cheerful and Inviting 
in addition t.<»1 lie food placed before the f;un 
ily. The arrangement of a few loaves will 
soon become a study for the whole household, 
each and every member will sooner or later 
want a hand in this matter, and excellent, 
relined, artistic taste will grow out of so 
small a thing as a bunch of flowers or a hand¬ 
ful of leaves. 
In winter, sprigs of evergreens, dined grass¬ 
es, or immortelles may be used. A few plant s 
of creeping myrtle or ivy can be placed in 
the cellar or left outside, where they can be 
reached any time during cold weather, and a 
few twigs of these brought into use when¬ 
ever required. 
Those who keep house plants always have 
tlie materials at hand for table decorations, 
and they should be used liberally and con 
stautly, varying the arrangement as often and 
widely as possible. If we could only impress 
upon mothers, and housewives in general, the 
importance of placing food before their 
household in an attractive dress, as well as 
making it wholesome, we should feel well 
repaid for giving daily or weekly lectures 
upon this subject. It is not costly dishes or 
their number that make a table look invit¬ 
ing, but it consists more in the arrangement, 
with those little undescribable touches which 
a woman of taste gives without knowing why 
or wherefore. It is these little things that 
make home attractive, and stamp the char¬ 
acter of men and women. 
-♦♦♦-. 
DOMESTIC BREVITIES. 
Chowder.— Cover the bottom of a stove 
kettle with slices of fat pork ; over this a 
layer of fresh fish, and a layer of potatoes, 
pared; then slices of pork again, and fish 
and potatoes ; and so proceed until the kettle 
is full. Sprinkle each layer slightly with 
pepper, and salt, if the pork is fresh. Some 
prefer butter Instead of the pork, except for 
the bottom layer. Onions are sliced in as 
seasoning by those who prefer them. Pour 
over this one quart of water, cover tightly, 
and stew nearly an hour, or until the pota¬ 
toes arc done. The length of time in which 
it will cook will vary somewhat, according 
to the size of the potatoes.— Julia. M. W. 
Salt-Pining Bread.— Having seen a request 
iu the Rural New-Yorker, for a recipe for 
salt-rising bread, J. have, concluded to re¬ 
spond, as no one else has done so. To one 
piut of boiling water, add l X Lcaspoonfnl salt, 
% teaspoonful soda, one table spoonful sugar, 
(brown is best) ; when cool enough to bear 
the finger in it, thicken with flour to the 
consistence of jelly cake ; put into a vessel of 
warm water, and keep just as warm as tho 
batter will bear without cooking It. It will 
rise about the middle of the day, if started 
about six iu the morning; this, with water 
added will make two small loaves.— e. 
Green Pea Soup.— Boil one. quart of green 
pens twenty minutes in two quarts of water; 
then add one quart of fresh milk. Make a 
thin batter of one egg, one-half cup of milk 
(sweet), two heaping tablespoons of flour. 
When the soup boils drop this into it, a 
spoonful at a. time, and let it boil about a 
minute after the dumplings are put in. Sea¬ 
son with pepper and salt. Very nice soup 
may bo made in this way by using green 
sweet com, cut from the cob, instead of peas; 
and potatoes pared and sliced, with on onion 
or two added, makes an excellent soup after 
this manner.— Hope Evermore. 
A Few Words About Washing.—Put your 
clothes iu a good suds the day before wash¬ 
ing ; in the morning wash out of the water, 
warming it by the addition of hot water if 
desirable ; put into boiling water, let them 
boil ten or fifteen minutes ; wash out of the 
boil suds with the hands; rinse, hang out 
and dry. If you are not satisfied with the 
plan, please let us know through the Rural. 
I have washed in this way for some years 
and am always successful in having wlute 
clothes, and getting my washing out early in 
the day.— E., Lennar line, Pa. 
Quickly-Made Fruit Cake. —Take 3 egg-, 
1 cup of tour cream, 1 cup of butter, 4 cups 
of flour, cups of j akriua, chopped fine, S 
cups of brown sugar, 1 fceasne* aiful of soda, 
1 of cloves, and 1 of cinnamon ; bake slowly. 
This skin of an animal, whether cow, calf, 
colt, or horse, that dies on the farm, is worth 
more at home than at the tanner’s. Cut it 
into narrow strips, and shave off the hair 
with a sharp knife before the kitchen fire, or 
in your workshop, on stormy days and even 
mgs. You may make them soft by rubbing. 
A rawludo halter-strap an inch wide, will 
hold a hor.se better, and last longer than an 
inch rope. It is 8‘ronger than hoop*iron and 
more durabK and may be Used t o hoop dry 
casks and boxes, and for Iduges. Try it on a 
broken thill, or any wood-work that has been 
split. Put it on wet, and nail fast,. Thin 
skins make the best bag-strings in the world. 
A rawhide rope is a good substitute for a 
chain. It is valuable to mend a broken link 
in a trace chain. For some purposes it is 
best to use it in Its natural state. For some 
pur [loses it may he dressed soft. 
-» ♦ » 
WANTS A SIPHON. 
Mr farm is situated on the north side of 
the ridge road ; a creek to the south of it 
runs parallel afc a distance of about twenty 
roils, and 1 wish to know if a siphon can be 
successfully laid from this creek over Hie 
ridge to my barn-yard, which will insure a 
fall of five or six feet. What depth will bo 
neees ary to lay the to pipe to avoid freezing l 
What, sized pipe will be required tv Carrv the 
water three-quarters of a mile ? ’.Vliat'kind 
of pipe ? The length of pipe necessary for 
the fall of live feet is about forty rods, and 
wii.it will he the t,o‘cl approximate cost of 
pipe, laying. &c, i This and any othor inf or 
ination relating to the siphon will oblige.— 
A. .J. Chav, Jeddo, IV. 1. 
We have had no practical experience with 
siphons tor conducting water. During the 
past, year or two we have published several 
articles upon the subject, to which our cor- 
rosond nfc is respectfully referred. We have 
no doubt water can bo conveyed in a siphon 
as he desires ; but wo have to ask our read- 
ore, who have had practical experience, to 
give him tho benefit thereof. 
-- 
SCIENTIFIC AND USEFUL NOTES. 
Adhesive Paste for Hot tie Label Four 
parts by weight of glue are allowed to soften 
in fifteen parts of cold water for some hours, 
.and then moderately heated till the solution 
becomes quite clear. Sixty-five parts of 
boiling water are now added wit h stirring. 
In another vessel thirty parts of starch paste 
are stirred up with twenty parts of cold 
water, so that a thin milky fluid is obtained 
without lumps. Into this the boiling glue 
solution is poured, with constant stirring, 
and tlie whole is kept at the boiling temper 
ature. After cooling, ten drops of carbolic 
acid are added to the paste. This paste is of 
extraordinary adhesive power, and if pre¬ 
served in closed bottle to prevent evaporation 
of the 'water, will keep good for years. 
Coach Varnish.— F. M. Cooper asks for a 
recipe for making conch varnish. The fol¬ 
lowing varnish is intended for the body parts 
of coaches and other similar vehicles intend¬ 
ed for polishing :—Fuse eight pounds cf flue 
African gum copal; add two gallons of clar¬ 
ified oil; boil it very slowly for four or fivo 
hours until quite stringy ; mix with three 
gallons and a half of turpentine ; strain off 
and pour into a vessel. As this is too slow iu 
drying, coach-makers, painters, &c., have 
introduced to two parts of the above, varnish 
one made as follow -:—Eight pounds of fine, 
pale gum ammo ; two gallons clarified oil; 
three and a half gallons of turpentine ; to be 
boiled four hours. This varnish is not the 
kind mod by cabinet makers. 
A Valuable Cement,. —The following is a 
useful cement to fasten objects of wood to 
others of metal, glass, stone, etc. Good 
cabinet makers’ glue is warmed up with 
water to the consistency necessary to con- 
n-ct wooden objects ; then add enough sifted 
ashes to bring it to tlie thickness of a varnish. 
The cement should be applied to the surface 
of the objects to he united when warm, and 
then they should bo pressed together tightly. 
After cooling and drying, the surfaces are bo 
strongly united, as to require great force to 
separate them. Gilnding stones fastened on 
wood, and handles to painters’ stones for 
grinding colors, have been used for more 
than a year without exhibiting any appear¬ 
ance of fracture. 
Improved Drawing Ink .—The addition of 
one part of carbolic acl d to eighty parts cf 
tlie fluid India ink, while it does not impair 
its fluidity, causes it to dry rapidly even in 
heavy lines, so that they can be varnished 
over. The proper amount of carbolic aoid to 
be added in any case may bo ascertained by 
adding drop by drop tho ordinary apothe¬ 
cary's solution of it in alcohol until varnish- 
ishuig does not. affect the definition of a test 
line by causing It to run. The addition of too 
much carbolic acid is indicated by the trans¬ 
parency of the l.ne and the inability to draw 
line lines, a condition which may bo easily 
remedied by tlie addition of more of the 
fluid ink. 
Artificial Coral. —To two drams' of ver¬ 
milion add one ounce of resin, and melt 
Mumi together. Have ready the branches or 
twigs peeled and dried, a nd paint them over 
With this mixture while hot. The twigs 
being covered, hold them over a gentle fire ; 
turn them round till they are perfectly 
smooth. White coral may also be made with 
whit e, load, and black with lampblack mixed 
with resin. 
Pittsburg vs, Lackawanna Coal.—You will 
greatly oblige one of your subscribers if you 
will inf.wm him, through Hie columns of the 
RURAL jNkw-Youkkr, IIS to what the differ¬ 
ence in value is bof.Wi eil lV tHburg and Lack¬ 
awanna coul for heating a house ; or, iu other 
words, how much of tho former is equivalent 
to at on of the latter for such a purpose ?— 
A. Katlvt, 
W k have no data by which to answer this 
question; if any of our readers have let 
them reply. 
Gold Varnish for Picture. Frames. — Tur- 
merie. gamboge, of each one dram ; spirits 
of turpentine, two pints ; shellac, sandaracli, 
of each five ounces; dragon’s blood, seven 
drams ; turn mastic varnish, eight ounces. 
Digest with occasional agitation, for fourteen 
days, in a warm place ; then set aside to fine 
and pour off the clear liquid. Tills is to be 
applied on the frames previously silvered. 
I far ness Blacking ,—The following is a wa- 
tci-prool 1 1 arums blacking, which alsosurves 
as a polish :—Mu Hon suet 2 oz ; Beeswax 6 
oz. Melt and add—Sugar candy (in fine 
powder) (> oz ; Soft soup 2 oz; Lampblack 
n.'doz; Indigo (in lino powder) by oz. When 
thoroughly incorporated, add turpentine % 
pint, and pour into pots and tins. 
Lime l.o Make, a, Cider Mill, —Will some one 
furnish p'an and directions for tho erection 
of a cider mill with two presses and a ca¬ 
pacity of 12 to r. barrels per day—including 
all the recent improvements and convenien¬ 
ces.— J. E. Day. 
Lffect of Light on Fire. — Experiments 
have shown that sunshine diminishes com¬ 
bustion as compared with cloudiness or dark- 
ness that a candle will consume slower in 
the sunlight than in the dark. 
§ fimolaqifitl. 
POMOLOGICAL GOSSIP. 
Grafting Weeping Trees.—A late issue of 
the Garden says:—We observed in Messrs. 
Osborns’ Nursery, at Fulham a few days ago, 
a new method of grafting in the case of 
weeping trees. It consists in working them 
on dwarf stocks, so as to admit of the plunts 
assuming their natural habit from the 
ground upwards. Of these three good ex¬ 
amples may be found there, viz., a Kilmar¬ 
nock Weeping Willow, a Weeping Beech and 
a cut-leaved Weeping Birch. These ad pre¬ 
sent a much more natural appearance than 
weeping trees do when worked on high, 
naked stems, which hitherto has been the 
practice generally followed. 
The Yeic Poisonous .—All the evidence on 
the subject of the Yew being poisonous to 
cattle, horses and doer, loads to the conclu¬ 
sion that when eaten in its fresh state it is 
harmless, but when withered or partially so, 
it is poisonous. The clipping* of Yew hedges, 
for instance, if laid within the reach of these 
animals and eaten by them have invariably 
caused death; but it is known than when 
they browse upon the fresh shoots in parks 
no such result occurs.— Cottage Gardener. 
1 erfume of the Ailanthus .—Many com¬ 
plaints have been made of the overpowering 
und offensive odor of the flowers cf the Ail- 
anthns trees planted in the streets of Paris 
and oth ir large citieB. According f,r, M. E. 
Andre, it is only the flowers of the male 
trees which exhale this unpleasant scent, and 
he recommends that none hut female trees 
should be, for the future, planted in public 
or other places where the peculiar odor of 
the males might be offensive. 
__ Manuring Fruit Trees in the FaM.— Thos. 
Meehan writes the Weekly Press that a top 
dressing of good manure put under fruit 
trees soon after midsummer when the second 
growth is about to take place, produces a 
marked effect on the fruitfulness of the tree 
the following year. 
