i\ 7- 
If 
K 
I-'? 
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS, AND GOSSIP 
ABOUT HOME AEEAIRS. 
CROCHET. 
Miss A. M. A., New Orleans.—A new book on 
Crochet, etc., by S. Annie Frost, one of the new 
editors of “Lady’s Book” (Godey’s), and just pub¬ 
lished by Mr. Williams contains all you seek to know; 
the fancy work in Godey’s is the same as the Ger¬ 
man “ Modenweldt,” in which those terms you named 
were used. You will find the advertisement in the 
Cabinet for October. 
■ RING-WORK. 
consists only of covering brass or wire rings with silk, 
or zephyr, in buttonhole stitch, then uniting them, 
using heads, spangles, and buttons, (as taste suggests) 
on the points of union. Besides personal articles such 
as satchels, purses, etc., elegant wall-pockets, hang¬ 
ing-baskets, lamp-shades, card-stands, etc., are thus 
made. 
TO PRESERVE WHITE FLOWERS. 
Mrs. G. A. T., Liberty, Texas, Miss L. S., Roches¬ 
ter, N. Y., Mrs. M. D., Madison, N. J., have been 
greatly discouraged in their endeavors to preserve 
white flowers, by means of the paraffine coating. It 
is done successfully, however, as we knowfrom experi¬ 
ence; and in cases where there is failure, we fear the 
material is not of the finest character, which is abso¬ 
lutely essential; or is used too hot, or the opposite, 
or perhaps the flowers may have been too succulent, 
or not coated thoroughly. It is well worth persever¬ 
ing in. The handsomest pieces we have seen, were a 
cross, two feet long, and a wreath, sixteen inches in 
diameter, very heavy, and composed of many varieties 
of flowers. They were done seven years ago, and are 
still perfect, we understand. After the funeral of a 
loved wife and mother, they were enclosed in frames, 
protected by glass, and hermetically sealed. 
SPLINT WORK. 
Mrs. G. T. H., Madison, Ill.—Next month we 
hope to describe the Wood-Splint Work fully. It is 
well adapted to all kinds of household elegancies, such 
as hanging-baskets, standing and card frames, easels, 
fern-cases, wall-pockets, crosses for ferns and autumn 
leaves (either as rural ornaments or for mantels and 
brackets), banging-odorators, brackets, etc. Such 
dainty, exauisitely lovely knick-knacks, you cannot 
imagine. 
BRAID. 
“ Anemone,” Colorado Territory.—I scarcely know 
whether I understand the “ braided rope, made of 
worsted (alpaca) braid square on the sides, yet slightly 
elastic.” 
Some years ago an ornamental braid of the kind you 
appear to describe, was greatly admired and used by 
ladies for the hair, which was then dressed with braids 
of hair, velvet, etc. Such braids would indeed form 
beautiful suspension ropes for heavy hanging-baskets, 
and to loop about curtains, lambrequins, etc., or as 
embellishment for cushions, rugs, and other household 
articles of the kind, would be really elegant. 
FRET SAWING. 
“ Mary.”—We know of no one kind of art work, so 
well adapted to the articles you require, as that of 
“Fret Sawing,” and carving; on front of wrapper 
of the Cabinet you will find a list of books containing 
designs for every article (in wood) that can be con¬ 
ceived. You named a card-basket. You should obtain 
some white wood. By cutting out a set of panels, 
then lining with velvet or silk of some bright pattern, 
aru 
I iSctfiluet LUtitl J^ietorhx 
onie 
and (if necessary) binding the edges with velvet 
ribbon, or running chenille, in holes made on the 
edges, you have an article as elegant as the costly 
beauties imported from Europe. 
Those fond of fret-sawing, should certainly obtain a 
set of carving tools as well as saws, for there is no 
comparison between a piece of work, merely sawed 
out, and another, exactly similar, finished up with 
these carving tools. By the way, have you seen the 
charming little Swiss clock, made with the fret-saw 
and carving tools? You can carve the clock yourself, 
and obtain the works—excellent ones—to fasten 
within. These books on fret-sawing are invaluable to 
every tasteful housekeeper; and such a ready and 
delightful means of keejfing active boys busy, is 
immeasurably valuable to us, these long winter even¬ 
ings. We would certainly advise you to obtain one of 
the books of designs, a set of saws, etc. You will be 
charmed. 
ADORNING TABLES. 
To Anxious Housekeeper : There can be no orna¬ 
ment so beautiful, so simple, and altogether available 
as flowers. It is now near winter, and blossoms will 
be scarce, but you can form a charming centre piece 
that will continue a “thing of beauty ” for months, by 
covering a bowl or round box with scarlet flannel, and 
any broken goblet with cotton-batting (raw cotton). 
Sew on smoothly and make quite wet; soak flax, or 
frater-cress seeds, until sticky, then cover the whole 
surface with them ; place in a dark, warm place for a 
few days, when it will be found that the seed have 
sprouted, and you may then bring out to the warm 
sunlight, when, in a day or so, the whole surface will 
be covered with a mass of soft, lovely green, while 
gleaming through the whole, the scarlet and white 
groundwork imparts a charming effect. Place the 
bowl upside down, with the goblet on it, like a little 
dome, and you have one of the loveliest table orna¬ 
ments imaginable, and which is greatly admired even 
in our cities. 
Or you may use a vase or whole goblet for the top 
part, covering as described, then place a piece of cotton 
on the top, and nearly fill the vessel with water, 
scatter some rice, canary, and other seeds on the top 
of the cotton, making it just touch the water, or sus¬ 
pend an acorn by a thread until it approaches the sur¬ 
face, or put a sweet potato in the water. In either 
case you will soon enjoy the rare sight of growing rice 
or grasses, a tiny oak tree, or an exquisitely-graceful 
vine. 
These water-ornaments may be multiplied in various 
ways, for even a bunch of wheat ears, kept in water, 
presents a lovely sight, during the winter, when green¬ 
ness is at par. 
An excellent method of utilizing old poultry, was 
given in last month’s Cabinet ; you doubtless ob¬ 
served it. 
SALADS. 
To your last question we would say, salads, sauces, 
and made-dishes of various kinds, are the greatest 
helps to getting up nice meals; and we do not use 
them nearly enough. 
JARDINIERE CANVAS. 
We would explain to several ladies who have written 
to ask concerning it, that Jardiniere canvas is here 
called gold and silver perforated card. 
Ladies have no idea of the exquisite beauty of 
the white perforated card work. It appears, when 
well done, like chiselled marble. We have just been 
making what is called, in our German magazine, a 
goblet, but we would term a vase, inasmuch as it is 
shaped like a graceful vase with a lid. This stands 
about ten to twelve inches high, and is so made that it 
appears richly carved, the pure white of the card im¬ 
parting a marble-like appearance. Indeed, beneath 
the glass shade provided for it, it appears like, and 
is invariably taken for marble. Lovely toilet sets, 
consisting of glove, handkerchief, powder, jewel and 
sash boxes, bottle-stands, etc., mural ornaments of 
various kinds, hung as plaques, brackets, etc., are, 
when carefully made, of the most artistic character. 
But we should recommend it most particularly for the 
more delicate kinds of elegancies, as pure white will, 
of course, become soiled, in time, and might better be 
protected. The cross shown in “ Household Elegan¬ 
cies ” is, when framed in a recess, a lovely ornament, 
though several articles we have made more recently 
excel it in artistic design. 
WINDOW TRANSPARENCIES. 
“ Claude Melnot” asks a few questions concerning 
window transparencies, for hall windows, etc. This 
class of embellishment is ad infinitum. We would 
recommend, however, the Vitromania or Diaphenie 
plates as being the most superb of anything yet tried; 
excelling even stained glass in its exquisite softness 
and perfection of shading ; and to such a high degree 
is this art carried in England, that artisans are em¬ 
ployed to apply the plates to the windows of chapels 
and other public buildings. 
We have recently been ornamenting a large lantern 
over a hall-door. It consists of two large plates of 
glass, sixteen by twenty inches. In the centre of each 
plate is a lovely scene—of Oriental character—palm 
trees, a sheet of water, with gondolas, and one or two 
figures in richly-tinted garbs. On the other a part of 
tropical forest—camels and turbaued Turks reclining 
beneath luxuriant trees, with lovely background, etc. 
Surrounding these are a dozen scarlet medallions, each 
one bordered with blue, gold, and scarlet, and contain¬ 
ing a different scene, or group, the whole finished with 
a rich diapered-grounding and border in vivid colors. 
Every one exclaims over our extravagance in having 
a stained-glass window, whereas the entire thing cost 
less than $5, though you might imagiue it at $50, 
$75, or even $100, perhaps, according to the cost of 
stained glass. We wonder that ladies do not attempt 
{ this work, to a greater extent than we imagine they 
have, for it would certainly give great satisfaction. 
Several lanterns we got up for a village fair, last sea¬ 
son, sold for high prices, and others were at once 
ordered. For lamp-shades and hall lanterns, the 
smaller plates are eminently adapted. 
VERMIN. 
I am glad to avail myself of the opportunity offered 
in the Floral Cabinet, to ask some questions of 
older and more experienced housekeepers than myself. 
My great trouble at present is—vermin ! I have, since 
May 1st, moved into a dwelling literally infested with 
bed-bugs, roaches, and red ants. What must I do to 
rid the place of them ? Mrs. G. B. Manlove. 
Answer .—During all my long married life, I have 
followed the established rule of my ancestors. That 
is, each March all bedsteads, closets, drawers, etc., are 
well painted with alum solution — one pound to one 
gallon—and if new bedsteads are purchased, they are 
well saturated with a poison composed of half a pint 
of alcohol, quarter pint of turpentine (benzine will 
answer as well), crude sal. ammonia, one ounce, cor¬ 
rosive sublimate, one ounce, camphor gum, one drachm. 
Dissolve, and with a small sash-brush paint each crack 
and crevice ; or, better still, inject it into all the parts. 
I have found this entirely effective, if persevered in. 
Aunt Carry. 
