% 
I 
NEW YORK, OCTOBER, 1877. 
FLORAL ROCKERY. 
One lovely afternoon in October’, while riding out, 
I saw a beautiful rockery, which I feel bound to de¬ 
scribe. The design was a circle about three feet in 
diameter, with an open space left in the centre about 
eighteen or twenty inches in diameter ; height about 
Iwofeet. The stones were neatly laid together, and 
in all the orifices was growing a small running vine. 
In the centre was a tall, growing plant 
with bright blossoms. It makes a strik¬ 
ing ornament for the lawn, and all who 
think it worthy of a trial, I am sure will 
feel rewarded for their trouble. 
Now, I am going to tell about an orna¬ 
mental stump that I saw while visiting a 
friend last summer. Being in the front 
yard, it would have been an ugly feature 
had it not been converted into ‘‘a thing of 
beauty ” by the fair hand of a real lover of 
nature. The interstices in this rough 
specimen were all filled with rich soil, and 
vines of easy culture were running over 
the sides, with a Dusty Miller here and 
there peeping through the green foliage. 
Around the bottom of the stump were 
crocks of Geraniums, their bright scarlet 
blossoms making a brilliant contrast with 
the dark green above them. The top of 
the stump was crowned with tall, feathery 
ferns nodding with graceful ease in every 
direction. 
The beauty of this can better be im¬ 
agined than described. This design could 
be varied according to the taste of the individual, as 
there are no two alike; but the above arrangement 
suits my taste exactly; but we all do not fall heir to 
convenient stumps to decorate, so we must be content 
with what we have, unless we can prevail upon our 
handy “ big brother” to import one from that mine of 
wealth, the woods. 
A pretty little ornament for the yard is made this 
way : Take a stake about four feet long and drive it 
firmly in the ground—opposite a window is the best 
place—then fasten on a square piece of board and 
place a round box on it a foot deep. Fill it with rich 
soil from the woods, and start a Smilax vine in it, and 
you will soon have a circular mass of living green, 
with its long arms reaching downward for support. It 
will gladden you through the summer months, and 
when the weather grows cold, you can bring the box, 
as it is portable, in your sitting-room, and it will 
brighten a corner all the winter long. I have seen 
small boxes of Smilax hung by a strong cord on door¬ 
knobs ; the vine would cover the cords so as none of it 
could be seen, and it puzzles the beholder to know by 
what power the box is held in its place. It is an odd 
but pretty way to suspend floral ornaments, while 
the more careless you arrange them, the better the 
effect. 
Smilax, of all vines, is my favorite; and anywhere, 
and in any form, I think it is pretty. One window, 
at least, in every sitting-room, should be decorated 
with it. Take a shallow box the width of your win¬ 
dow and paint it white; place it on a level with the 
window-sill and fill it with leaf mould from the woods. 
In September start slips of Smilax. When old enough 
to commence running, guide them upward by means of 
strong twine attached to the box and fastened to the 
top of the window. In a surprisingly short time they 
will run up where you have secured the strings and 
turn back as if surveying the distance they have come. 
Is it not strange ? Train them in any direction you 
wish; but if not watched carefully and cue back, will 
just take possession of the room. There is no vine 
PUBLISHER’S ANNOUNCEMENTS. 
Price Reduced — The subscription price of The Floral Cabi¬ 
net for the year 1878 will be reduced to only 
$1.20 Per Year. 
This is without any premium whatever. But we shall issue a 
handsome chromo frontispiece of flowers, etc., and the subscription 
price, including the frontispiece, will be 10 cents additional, or $1.80 
per year, the same as in the past. 
Get up a Club, Price Reduced.— Where any person will 
raise a club of 5 subscribers at $1.20 each, with $6.00. a 6th copy extra 
will be sent free to club agent, or a club of 6 may join together and 
the 6 copies sent to one address for $6.00. Members of clubs desir¬ 
ing the Floral frontispiece, will each remit 10 cents additional. 
To any one raising a club of 4 at $1.20 or $1.30, will be given one of 
the following: Pocket-Book, with your name engraved in gold; “ The 
Ladies’ Guide to Needle Work, Embroidery, Knitting,” etc.; “ Every 
Woman Her Own Flower Gardener;” “Household Hintsand Re¬ 
cipes;” “The Home of Washington,” steel plate engraving; “Fret 
Sawing for Pleasure and Profit.” 
A club of 10 will entitle club agent to both extra copy of paper 
free, and one of the above books, or engraving. 
A club of 15 will entitle club agent to both extra copy of paper free, 
and one of the following books: “Beautiful Homes, or Hints in 
House - Furnishing; ” “Household Elegancies;” “Ladies' Fancy 
Work;” “Window Gardening,” or a Pocket-book, with your name 
in gold, worth $1.56; The Cabinet Collection of Balsams, worth 
$2,00; The Cabinet Collection of Gladiolus, worth $15.00. 
Treasures of Garden and “Woodland.— This is the title 
of our illuminated Floral Chromo and Frontispiece for 1878. It is 
the most perfect specimen of floral illustration ever produced in the 
United States It is of the same size as “Gems of the Flower Gar¬ 
den,” but while that contained flowers in profusion, this Is more artis¬ 
tic in its collection of brilliant Autnmn Leaves, Ferns, Roses, etc. 
Subscribers will find it well worthy of appreciation. Club agents 
will find it a decided help in obtaining subscribers for The Floral 
Cabinet, and an advance proof will be sent for agents purposes for 
25 cents, which can be deducted when club Is made up. 
New Books. —Onr lovers of beautiful household books will be 
delighted with the announcements we make on our last page of some 
splendid additions to onr series of household books. They are really 
charming, and full of multitudes of hints how to improve your homes. 
Beautiful Homes is the most practical and complete volume 
on Housefurnishing which this country has ever seen. It is written 
by our favorite country editor and contributor, Mrs. C. 8. Jones, who 
is the author of “ Ladies’Fancy Work,” and associated with us in 
“ Household Elegancies.” Being a companion volume to this it 
should be warmly welcomed and perused b.y all lady housekeepers. 
The Ladies’ Guide to Needle Work, Embroidery, 
etc.. Is written by S. Annie Frost, the editress of Godey’s Magazine. 
This is a guarantee of Its excellence, and as it covers all the field of 
Crochet Work, Canvas Work, Embroidery of all kinds, Knitting, and 
innumerable ways in which the needle of our ladies is daily put to 
use, it is a book which should be found on every table. 
Household Hints and Reeipes is written by “Daisy Eye- 
bright,” and is a model collection of the most practical and invaluable 
recipes which ever were tried. They surpass any collection we 
know. They relate to all parts of the house except cooking, and the 
pages are full of hints no housekeeper can do without, each one of 
which will save her many hours of time and dollars in money. Just 
as we were writing this, a lady who had written to all the best sources 
with no avail, wrote to us that her linen, and elegant table-cloth, 
was ruined from mould, and would be utterly lost unless she could 
find a recipe for it, and she was willing to pay any price. We turned 
to “ Household Hints and Beoipes,” found a capital one, and sent it to 
her. The little book is so full of these items of useful experience, no 
housekeeper should be without it. 
Fret Sawing for Pleasure and Profit. —This is a beauti¬ 
ful little book, which describes In its beauty and in practice the new 
and favorite art of Fret Sawing. It contains many beautiful illustra¬ 
tions and practical directions how to become successful in the art. 
Designs.—Fret Sawing— We have just pub¬ 
lished two new and beautiful books of designs, con¬ 
taining Easels, Picture Frames, Brackets, Match 
Boxes, etc., in profusion. Part 6, price 80 cents. 
Part 7, price 60 cents. 
The Home of “Washington.— Our descrip¬ 
tion in the advertisement is not more enthusiastic 
than its honest worth. It is far beyond all the steel 
plate engravings ever offered by any journal, and it 
is a treasure to any family. Our offer is again renewed 
to all our subscribers to obtain it, and no one should 
lose the opportunity. 
Design for Summer House. 
more suitable than this for ornamentation ; a party- 
dress, decorated with it, looks superb, but for the 
dining-room and our parlors, during the holidays, 
there is nothing to equal it. Dried grasses of different 
kinds assist in making beautiful winter bouquets. I 
always tie them in loose bunches, and put them in a 
dark closet. Vickie Blue. 
NEW AND NOVEL PRIZES. 
Desirous of encouraging the beautiful in household 
art and home life, we. offer this fall a series of Prizes 
which have never been offered before in this country. 
1. The Prettiest Flower Garden— To any 
one forwarding us best sketch, or view, or photo¬ 
graph of their flower garden, or garden decorations, 
we will give, 1st prize, $15 ; 2d prize, $10; 3d prize, 
$5. The sketch to be accompanied with description. 
2. Prettiest Window Garden.— For pret¬ 
tiest sketch or view of the interior of a house, with 
window garden, will he given 1st prize, $15; 2nd 
prize, $10 : 3d prize, $5. 
3. Prettiest Floral Decorations.— To any 
one sending prettiest sketch of floral design, decora, 
tion, or ornaments, will be given, 1st prize, $15; 2nd 
prize, $10; 8d prize, $5. 
4. Prettiest View of House and Grounds, 
exterior. —To any one sending best sketches of 
pretty house, its exterior, and surrounding lawn, vines, 
arbors, etc. 1st prize, $15; 2d prize, $10; 3d prize, $5. 
5. Prettiest Home, interior.— We desire 
pretty sketches or views of the interiors of charming 
houses, parlors, sitting-rooms, bedrooms, halls, and the 
various ways to ornament and decorate them. 1st 
prize, $15; 2nd prize, $10 ; 3d prize, $5. 
These sketches, views, or photographs, to be sent to 
us before December 25th, when the prizes will be 
awarded in January, and the Prize Illustrations will ^>e 'published 
in The Cabinet for'the coming year, making, we believe, the most 
attractive volume ever published. 
Ladies who cannot draw, can find some friend who can, or they 
can get photographer tc visit the house, and photograph it freely. 
The sketch should be accompanied with description, and we will 
welcome all sketches of any kind which relate to the decoration of the 
home in any way, out-doors or in-doors. 
Prizes for Household and Floral Articles— These will 
be renewed again very soon, as we have not space at present for full 
