He tWltes floral iKWitiet teiU Pictorial Home iKampiiuaii. 
NEW YORK, JANUARY, 1878. 
FLORAL DECORATION'S. 
I want to tell your readers about some rustic wood 
I made lately. I went to the woods in the spring and 
selected two kinds on trees, one large enough for a 
stand,' instead of a wooden bowl, the other for a hang¬ 
ing-basket. I carefully scraped off the loose bits of 
bark with a knife, and then fastened small grape vines 
on it for handles, twining them together, and my bas¬ 
ket was complete. 
The stand took more work. I- procured knotty 
branches of locust and gum and grape vines. I ar¬ 
ranged four of them for the legs, fastened them to the 
bark bowl, twining the grape vines and smaller 
crooked branches among them, fastening them with 
nails and strong wire. I gave them all a coat of varn¬ 
ish. Every one said, “ Oh, how beautiful l” 
I forgot to say the bark was peeled off the knots, 
being in the form .of a wooden bowl. Any one can 
make them and plant them to their own pleasure. I 
selected a bouquet of G-eranium branches and some 
sprays of Ivy and Jacob’s Ladder—I know no other 
name for it—and placed them in a vase of water, 
changing it once or twice a week. The blossoms 
and some of the leaves soon wilted and fell off, but 
new leaves and bunches of buds have appeared and 
are now coming into bloom. Not a sign of buds were 
to be seen when they were placed in water two months 
ago. Try it and see. 
Every one knows hoW inconvenient it is to water 
baskets. The water will be sure to run over the 
sides, dripping over everything. The last basket I 
started I placed in the centre of an essence box, with 
sides and centre perforated with holes; pour this full 
of water, and your basket is watered nicely. I had 
very long wires on mine and nothing in it hut parlor 
or Maple Ivy ; when the vines had run all over it, I 
placed in the centre a small pot with a pink Mauran- 
dia in it, the vines were dropped gracefully around the 
basket, and the effect was beautiful. I pinched off all 
the large leaves and ends of runners of the Ivy, and it 
is all covered with short clustering tendrils. 
I must tell you how I arranged some Ferns before 
I was in possession of a wardian case. I took a large 
turkey plate and covered it with moss, letting the moss 
hang over the edges about two inches. I placed 
some soil on the plate, and planted a row of small j 
Feras around the edge, the fronds drooping over the 
sides. I then placed some more soil on the plate, 
heaping it up high in the centre. A large bunch was 
planted on the top and several smaller ones around the 
sides; the ground was then all covered with difierent 
varieties of moss, and several bunches of Mitehella 
repeus, or Partridge Berry Vine. The plate was then 
placed on top of a parlor stand a little large than the \ 
plate. With an occasional watering, it lived and grew 
for months. It was so much admired, that a dozen or j 
more of my friends went and did likewise. You had 
better take the plate to the woods, and soind one to 
carry it home, unless you are strong. 
While I am on that inexhaustible subject, ferns, I" 
will tell you of one or two ways of using them that ' 
I have never seen in print. A cluster of small Ferns, 1 
with some moss and a little soil, was placed in a hand¬ 
some shell; with a little care it grew for months. I 
often placed a Rose, or couple buds in the shell, and 
the effect was most beautiful. A spray of Fuchsia, 
a Lily, a bunch or scarlet or pink Geranium, or Ver¬ 
bena, was often tried. 
A bunch of Ferns, with the roots rolled in moss 
and placed in a goblet of water, will grow nicely. I 
have seen bulbs blooming in the house, late in winter, 
placed in a flat dish with Arbutus—Epiga repens— 
Ferns and moss. The blue and pink Hyacinth, and 
wavy, white Narcissus forming an elegant contrast to 
the sweet Arbutus and rich green of the Ferns. The 
bulbs were grown in wet moss and sand. The Arbu¬ 
tus was brought from the woods, and the Ferns taken 
out of the fernery. 
A few bulbs planted in the garden five or six years 
ago, now give abundance of bulbs for house culture 
and garden blooming. 
There were not more than one bulb of each kind— 
Oxalis, three or four kinds of Narcissus, and half a 
dozen kinds of Tulips. Hyacinths deteriorate in our 
garden. We seem compelled to depend on the Dutch 
of Holland for them. 
I saw such a handsome aquarium lately. A large 
Calla was standing in the centre. Specimens of fancy 
colored stones and handsome shells were grouped 
around the pot and scattered over the bottom. Vines 
of trailing Moneywort were twined among the rocks 
and shells, and tiny white roots were thrown out at 
every joint. 
Rushes and Calimus are very pretty in a fresh wa¬ 
ter aquarium. If you want a variety of Geraniums, 
procure a paper of seed from a reliable seedsman. I 
got a paper of it for half a dollar, out of which I 
raised forty plants, sixteen beautiful distinct varieties. 
I saw a pretty banging-bracket to place against the 
wall for growing plants in. Seventy-five cents was 
the price. I invested the seventy-five cents in a Cape 
Jessamine, and went home and took an old cofiee-pot, 
split it in two from top to bottom,-took a half-inch 
board, wedge-shaped, with hole in the top to hang on 
a nail, to fit the tin and nailed the tin on it. I then 
had something the shape of a nutmeg grater, only 
wider at the top than bottom. I glued moss and 
lichens over it, and then planted a Fern and some 
long Ivy branches in it. 
I hung it under a picture, and twined the vines 
around the picture frame. It was handsomer than the 
ornamented terra cotta ones I had seen and holding 
more soil, about two quarts of soil. 
Lizzie Stewart. 
Propagating Roses.—I have been a reader of 
the Floral Cabinet for some time past, but have 
never seen any account in it of a way of propagating 
Roses, that may be quite common, but to us was un¬ 
known until within the past four or five years' 
It has proved so easy and satisfactory here, that 
I would like all your lady readers to have the pleasure 
of trying it for themselves. The cuttings may be 
taken any time between the loth of September and 
the last week of October in this latitude; but we pre¬ 
fer the latter part of September. 
Take long cuttings, say fifteen or twenty inches, of 
well matured wood; trim as for other slips. Dig 
deep holes and insert the cutting to within four or 
five inches of the top. Pour two or three pints of 
water around it, and draw’ the earth close about the 
stem ; then cover with a glass jar—a common fruit 
•jar will do—pressing the mouth of the jar down into 
the soil to keep it firm. 
As the cold weather approaches, place a few inches 
of manure about the jar, giving an additional covering 
as the weather grows more severe, until about Christ¬ 
mas you have nothing exposed but the bottom of the 
fruit jar, which will afford sufficient light for the plant. 
Keep them thus covered until all the frost is out of 
the grouad in the spring, and then remove the manure 
gradually, and the glasses. P. 0. 
PUBLISHER’S ANNOUNCEMENTS. 
Perfectly Delightful.— The response to our offer of sketches, 
pictures, etc., of pretty rooms, window gardens, floral decorations, 
etc., has been very numerous, nnd the pictures are so lovely we are 
delighted. It seems at this date as if all must be accepted, hut as 
many m e coming while our paper goes to press, we cannot announce 
prizes until next issue. These interior views of our prettiest and 
most comfortable American homes, are so enjoyable, that when the 
illustrations are engraved and published, oni- subscribers will find 
them a rare treat. We shall publish them during the entire year, 
and consider them the best series ever produced in the Flobal 
Cabinet. 
MissiDg Papers.— Do not hesitate to drop a postal-card should 
your paper fail to arrive. We are as anxious to have every subscriber 
receive his papers regularly as the subscriber is. We mail a copy 
every month, but Uncle Barn's mails meet with so many accidents, 
and get burned up or get lost, no one knows how, that we cannot 
know nor control our papers nfter put into the postoffice. 
Claiming Premiums.— Many subscribers send us a club, and 
expect us to send them a premium. We will always be ,glad to do 
so, but please tell us what you want. We do not know; we must 
wait to hear from you before we can send anything. 
Prizes for Household and Floral Articles.— Our offer of 
prizes is now renewed again for 1878. The following prizes will 
be given for' articles on Flower, Window Gardening, Housekeep¬ 
ing, Elegancies. Needle Work, and kindred subjects relating to the 
comforts, pleasures and advancement of Home Life ymd Household 
Taste: 
For best article on Floral Subjects.$10 00 
For second best article on Floral Subjects. 5 00 
For best article on Household Subjects.... 10 (10 
For second best article on Household Subjects. 5 00 
For each of next 20 best articles of Flowers, prize 
of book, “Window Gardening.” 
For each of next 20 best articles on Household Sub¬ 
jects. choice of one hook, “ Household Elegan¬ 
cies,” or •-Ladies "Fancy Work,” or ‘•Beautiful 
Homes,” or ‘-Evening Amusements.” 
For each of next 20 best articles (10 of eacli class of 
subjects), one Silk Book Mark. 
Contributors will notice the following rules: 1. Label all articles. 
“For Competition.” 2. Each article not to exceed three to five fools¬ 
cap pages long. 3. Articles all to be forwarded to this office before 
March 15. 4. Award of prizes will b ■ announced in April number, 
and prizes forwarded to the fortunate competitors April i. 5 
Articles contributed, not specially marked for return, maybe under¬ 
stood as having the desire of writer to be used in Floral Cabinet. 
as a voluntary contribution whenever convenient. 
The object in offering these prizes is npt6o much to induce the 
writing of articles for the sake of pecuniary remuneration, as it is to 
encourage our readers and writers to contribute really useful informa¬ 
tion. which will be a help and benefit to others. 
Treasures of Garden and "Woodland.— This is the title 
of our Floral Frontispiece this month, a fit companion to the pur¬ 
poses and tasteful appearance of the I lof.al Cabinet. It is a taste¬ 
ful group of autumn leaves and flowers, with their brilliant hues and 
perfect form, and is suggestive of floral decorations in many a rural 
home. As a work of art, it is of special merit, and as a floral group 
it is unusually tasteful. 
Illustrations of the Month.— The floral illustrations on the 
first page ore suggestive of convenient ways to decorate our rooms 
during the winter. The little jardiniere is full of earth, in which are 
growing full-blown Hyacinths. The parlor table is occupied with 
a large aquarium, rockery, and ferns growing above. While to those 
who have not means for the greater elegancies, we give a design for a 
simple wardian case, or aquarium, which any carpenter can construct. 
