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DECORATING TABLES WITH FLOWERS. 
The illustrations on this page represent several 
fancy ways of decorating a dinner-table with flowers. 
This custom is much more prevalent in England than 
here in America, and large crystal glass stands have 
been designed specially for the purpose. These glass 
stands are of numerous fancy shapes, and are filled as 
follows: The dishes and cups are filled first with damp 
moss, firmly pressed down, then lightly covered with 
French dyed moss, nicely cleared of brown leaves, &c., 
and damped, and well pulled out. In the moss, 
flowers, ferns, and grass, are fixed according to taste, 
and a wreath is twined either from the upper or lower 
dish, around the glass stem. This wreath may be of 
Ivy or Morning Glory, or any trailing plant. 
PRESERVING FUNERAL WREATHS. 
Our readers have most of them observed with won¬ 
der and admiration specimens of remarkably preserved 
bouquets, wreaths and crosses of white flowers that 
had been used on some occasion of either bridal or 
burial, years ago, yet retaining all the apparent fresh¬ 
ness of those newly gathered. 
The art of doing this lias been kept secret from the 
general public, while a few who have paid liberally to 
learn it make large profits by thus rendering these 
frail remembrances imperishable. A funeral wreath 
that has lain upon the breast of some departed loved 
one is preserved and placed under glass, to be not only 
a constant memento, but also an object of beauty to 
the beholder. The price charged for this work being 
high, many have been deterred from indulging their 
wishes; but by the aid of the brief instructions here 
given, any person of ordinary ability may succeed in 
rendering the most perishable and delicate flowers per¬ 
manently beautiful. 
Let the flowers we are to experiment upon be fresh again well shake the ingredients. The gilt frame that 
and firm, of pure white or delicate tints, without green ' is to be cleaned may now be brushed over with this 
leaves. If a bouquet is to be preserved without taking ; liquid, taking care, however, to use for that purpose 
the flowers apart, the leaves at least will have to be | the very softest camels hair brush that can be procured, 
replaced with some other substitute, as the process j After the liquid has been on the frame a minute or 
two, using a slight brushing to the dirtiest and most 
intricate parts of the work, it should be freely washed 
off with plenty of clean, soft water, and allowed to dry 
of its own accord. The drying should be accelerated 
j by placing the frame in a draught, or where the sun 
j shines on it. Next day the bright parts of the work 
may be very slightly rubbed with a new wash leather, 
which will enhance their brilliancy. During the clean¬ 
ing process, pictures and glasses should be taken out 
of their frames. 
Floral Decoration for the Table. Fig. 1. 
does not apply to them as well as to the flowers them¬ 
selves. Take paraffine of the best quality and melt it 
in a tin cup set in hot water, which may be kept boil¬ 
ing around it so as to keep the paraffine in a liquid 
state for use. Into this thin and transparent mass dip 
the blossoms, or, if found more convenient, brush them 
quickly with a small brush so as to give them a very 
thin coat that will cover every part of each petal; and 
this will form a casing about them that will entirely 
exclude the air and prevent their withering. The 
transparency of the material renders this coating 
almost, or quite invisible, so that the flowers present 
that natural appearance which constitutes their pecu¬ 
liar charm. Green leaves, if preserved in this way, 
must be coated with green wax, or with paraffine 
prepared with the addition of green powder paint. 
Chrome green is best. Lighten to any tint required by 
adding chrome yellow. Wax leaves, well made, may be 
used to very good advantage, or moss will answer very 
well for a background or foundation for the flowers. 
Lately, at a wooden wedding, the bride carried the 
same bouquet that had been used on the occasion of 
her marriage five years before, and it had all the fresh¬ 
ness and beauty of the original, lacking only the per¬ 
fume. Perhaps among new discoveries that are so 
constantly to be noted, the art of preserving even this 
will soon come in its turn.— Harper’s Bazar. 
Floral Decoration for the Table. Fig. 2. 
TO CLEAN PICTURE FRAMES. 
Take one drachm of soft soap, (about as much as 
will lay on a quarter of a dollar,) and mix it gradually 
with half a pint of soft water; i. e., rain water, or 
water that has boiled and been allowed to get cold; 
put the mixture into a bottle, and shake it well up, 
then half a wineglassful of spirits of hartshorn, and 
To Whiten Discolored Pearls. —When pearls 
have been long kept they are apt to become discolored. 
This may be remedied by the following process: Boil 
some bran in water, with a little alum and cream of 
tartar. When the liquid has become sufficiently cold 
to bear the immersion of the hands, put the pearls in 
it, and rub them gently with the bran. Continue to 
do this until the water is cold, then remove the pearls, 
and dry them in the dark on a linen cloth or sheet of 
white blotting paper. 
Liquid Glue for Fancy Work. —A useful cement 
for joining paper or pasteboard, in making card board 
boxes, and similar articles of fancy work, is thus pre¬ 
pared : Dissolve by a gentle heat two ounces of the 
best glue, or gelatine, in a quarter of a pint of strong 
vinegar. Then add to it, for the purpose of making 
it keep, one ounce of rectified .spirits of wine, or any 
other strong spirit. This glue must be kept in well- 
closed vessels. 
To Render Paper Water-proof.— Pass the paper 
through a solution of oxide of copper in liquid am¬ 
monia, and rinse it immediately. 
Floral Decoration for; Tift Table. Fig. 3. 
