II 
ora 
Gunes 
iaaie 
lOnijramoii. 
OUR HANGING BASKETS. 
We had eleven in number, all hanging on the por¬ 
tico, which is situated on the west side of the house. 
These were not purchased, hut mostly manufactured; 
and, in our estimation, looked fully as well as those 
bought and paid a high price for. The vines that 
were planted in them covered them so nicely that the 
most experienced eye could not detect how or on what 
plan they were constructed. 
In the first place 1 will inform the many readers of 
hoop-skirts, hut very much larger, in which we placed 
Moss, to keep the soil from washing through. In one 
of these was Cobcea Scandens, and the other the dif¬ 
ferent kinds of Thunbergia. These baskets cannot be 
recommended as being as good as the others, as they 
do not retain the moisture. On this account neither 
of these came to perfection, yet they were very pretty. 
Another was an old butter-bowl. This being quite 
shallow, we planted Maurandia Vine in it. I think 
the foliage of this much handsomer than the flower. 
Another, an old wash-basin, and still another, an old 
porcelain kettle. These last 
three were painted green, which 
caused them to look more gen¬ 
teel, and had different flowers 
and vines in. The kettle had a 
Geranium in it, which bloomed 
constantly. 
Two were terra-cotta. These 
baskets we were compelled to 
water every evening, as they 
would dry out very much during 
the warm summer days. 
Lily of the Valley. 
DESIGN OE A SUBURBAN COTTAGE. 
Cottage architecture is always a pleasing subject, 
for in all parts of the country the popular mind de¬ 
mands yearly more and more information as to the 
ornamentation of home grounds and more tasteful 
forms of rural architecture. 
The taste which was stimu¬ 
lated by the hand of Downing 
we find now everywhere culti¬ 
vated ; and in the suburbs of all 
our large cities we find cottages 
and villas in reality far more 
graceful and beautiful than we 
generally are aware of. As wo 
travel frequently on the lines of 
railroad travel, we see that the 
taste for rural embellishment is 
widely developing, and rural 
architecture is one of the most 
popular subjects on which to 
address the public mind. 
We continue this month our 
series of designs of cottages, of 
suitable form, moderate expense, 
and outward ornament, which we 
will commend to people of 
moderate means everywhere. 
The design we here present is 
one of pleasing beauty and great 
convenience. 
Though the exterior is some¬ 
what ornamental in its charac¬ 
ter, there is nothing about it costly or difficult of exe¬ 
cution ; no detail which cannot easily be wrought by 
any ordinary house-carpenter. 
It is 'designed to be of wood, and covered in the 
usual vertical and battened manner. The roof projects 
two feet and a half, and is supported on brackets. 
The house should rest on a foundation pro¬ 
jecting at least three feet above the level of 
the ground. The first story is 10 feet high in 
the clear, and the second 6 feet at the eaves, 
and 10 feet high at the ceiling. The plan 
comprises—■ 
No. 1, gallery, five feet wide. No. 2, hall, 
7} feet wide, and 20 feet long, containing 
stairs-to chamber and cellar. 
From the hall we enter No. 3, the parlor, 
10 feet square, in the front of which, and 
forming its principal feature, is a bay-window 
overlooking the front yard. 
No. 4 is 15 feet square, and may be used 
either as a bedroom or living-room. No. 5, 
the kitchen, is 15 feet by 16; it contains a 
large closet, and connects with a pantry, No. 
6, which opens upon a gallery, No. 7, leading 
to the yard. Under this gallery is the outside 
entrance to the basement. 
The second floor contains four chambers, 
each furnished with a large clothes-press. 
Two of these chambers are lighted by dormer 
windows. 
Previous to the advance in prices of building 
materials, the cost of construction, according to the 
above plan, was about $1,600, according to the esti¬ 
mate of George E. Harney, the architect; but now 
would not be less than $2,500. 
I made three of these. In one I had an Ivy; in the 
second a Maderia Vine, and in the third a Canary 
Vine. The Canary Vine was beautiful. If any one 
would like a nice basket, let them try this, and it will 
fully pay them. Two other baskets were made of old 
Design of a Suburban Cottage. 
the Cabinet how I make these inexpensive baskets. 
I adopted the plan given in one of the back numbers 
of the Cabinet for making baskets to hold papers out 
of old hoop-skirts, only placing the pieces so as a 
crock will set in each one; using red or green braid 
for handles, and not forgetting to paint them green. 
Ground Plan. 
HOW TO GROW THE 
OLEANDER. 
The Oleander is a very orna¬ 
mental plant when properly 
grown, but we seldom see fine 
specimens. There is scarcely 
one of my readers who has not 
seen dozens of tall, straggly 
plants. I propose to give a few 
directions by which fine plants 
may be grown. 
Take a healthy cutting, place 
it in a bottle of water, and let it remain there till 
roots appear ; then pot it, shifting it into larger-sized 
pots as its roots require room. Do not try to have it 
branch until it blooms. It will then have a long, 
straight stalk—a good foundation for the plant you 
desire. After blooming, three shoots will start; allow 
these to grow, as these are the flower-shoots. 
But, after these have bloomed, cut back all 
the shoots to within four or five inches of the 
former branching place. Do this each time 
the plant blooms. 
Two years ago we had a plant given us 
which was four years old and several feet 
high. In the autumn my husband remorse¬ 
lessly cut it down to within five inches of the 
first branching, but after starting the following 
spring, it grew rapidly. The Oleander has 
many good qualities. It will bloom well for 
its owner all summer, and then after cut¬ 
ting down in the fall, may’be put into a dry 
cellar for the winter, doing better during the 
following summer for its long rest. While 
growing it requires an abundance of water. It 
would be a good plan to allow it to stand in 
pans, constantly full of water, till after bloom¬ 
ing, when water should be gradually withheld 
till cut in, and then it should be put in the cel¬ 
lar and no more water given it till the follow¬ 
ing spring. It is well to re-pot the plants 
every three years (just before starting them in 
the spring). If you do not wish them in larger pots, 
pare the ball of roots with a sharp knife on the sides 
and bottom, re-pot in strong, rich loam, and set in a 
shaded place, and in a few weeks the roots will form 
Kitty Clover. 
anew. 
