The design we give on this page is one that will be 
found very suitable for many small families in the 
country. It is simple, inexpensive, gives a fair amount 
of room for living purposes, and, if the rooms are 
built of size 14 by 14 feet, they will be found large 
enough for all ordinary purposes. Cost will not ex¬ 
ceed $1,200 for ordinary; but about $1,500 with 
fancy ornaments. The porch and sides of the house 
may be made very handsome with vines. The effect 
of the windows will bo pleasantly increased by keep¬ 
ing the diamond-shaped glasses represented in cut. 
Be Practical. — I would like to have you or some 
of the numerous patrons of the Floral Cabinet, 
give directions how to make Tobacco Soap. Every 
person who is keeping plants ought to know how to 
make an article of so much value as this, which can 
be obtained of only a few dealers, and then at enor¬ 
mous rates. 
I have often thought, while I have been reading the 
Cabinet (which I have been taking 
since it was first established, and shall 
as long as it is published), that I 
would like to make one suggestion to 
those writing upon the culture of 
flowers, viz.: To give full and plain 
directions. A short article written in 
that form will give more satisfaction 
than columns of superfluous language. 
It is the new beginner that scans the 
paper for instructions; and as line 
after line is read upon the sowing of 
the seeds, and what ones follow each 
other in time of planting, you see the 
eye brighten, and the whole counten¬ 
ance shows all seems to be conquered. 
With seeds and tools in hand they 
(John and Mary) start for the seed¬ 
bed which is prepared, when the fol¬ 
lowing conversation takes place: 
“ John, are you sure it is the right 
time for these delicate seeds to be 
Hints.—Lilies of the Yalley force beautifully, and 
in the house may bloom from Christmas until May. 
We have known them forced into beautiful bloom on a 
shelf over a kitchen range. The best Myosotis or 
Forget-me-not, is one raised iu Prussia, and called M. 
Imperatrice Elizabeth, or Semperfloreus hybrids,. 
The flowers are deep rich azure blue, with dark yel¬ 
low eye, flowering abundantly the whole season, from 
early spring until severe frosts; other varieties bloom 
for a very short time. With a rich, moist soil, it gives 
great satisfaction. The Peony or “ Piney ” delights in 
a deep rich soil; the richer it is the larger will be the 
flowers. Disturb them as little as possible, as they 
grow stronger and flower better year by year. (In our 
own family was one which had stood and flourished 
nearly one hundred years). Carnation Pinks will 
stand cold, but not alternate freezing and thawing; 
cover with evergreen boughs and pine needles. It is 
best to raise these from seed every year, or renew by 
layers, as old plants seldom give good flowers. In 
planting Lilies, put a handful of sand around each 
bulb—this prevents rotting. The long-flowered white 
Lily (L. longiflorum) is a very beautiful species, per¬ 
fectly hardy even in New England, if covered with a 
sown 
V’ 
Wes, for I saw it in the 
paper; get it and see.” He reads 
over the article again, and is greatly 
astonished not to find a single date 
given. How easy it would have been for that corres¬ 
pondent to have mentioned the months in which differ¬ 
ent seeds—hardy or tender—should be sown. We 
are apt to think every person should know this, but 
they have not had our experience, and many a one has 
been discouraged because they have lost some choice 
seed for want of full instructions, which might have 
been given in a few words. I have noticed this error 
to occur in our best correspondents’ articles. Do not 
think I write this to find fault, for no one takes more 
solid comfort than myself in perusing the teachings of 
the Cabinet ; I should feel lost in not having it, and 
I do not see how any one can do without it that loves 
flowers. I had a loose cover made, at the bookbind¬ 
er’s, which will hold three or four years’ numbers, and 
it makes a perfect gem of floral science for reference. 
I keep about forty plants in my sitting-room. 
A Lover of Flowers. 
Ansiver .—Tobacco Soap is sold by most florists and 
druggists. Tobacco Wash, just as effective, can be 
made by steeping a pound of tobacco in a pail or five 
gallon kettle of water, and then sprinkle the plants. 
-StllNRv, 
Design for a Pretty Cottage. 
few inches of litter. The flowers are pure white, from 
six to nine inches long, very fragrant, and from one to 
three on a stalk. Its small cost places this fine Lily 
within the reach of all. J. Breckenridge. 
A Pansy Bed.— If any ladies of the Cabinet 
would have a beautiful flower bed, one that will make 
u their eyes laugh and sparkle, let them buy a paper of 
T Pansy seed and sow in a box this fall, then early in 
the spring, when the ground can be worked nice and 
mellow, make a bed on the northeast side of the 
house, of good rich earth from the barn-yard, trans¬ 
plant about one foot apart; in a few weeks it will be 
resplendent with beauty. I have many flowers, but 
none give me the pleasure that does. I have had no 
inferior blossom this season ; if it is very dry I water 
them occasionally, that is all the care it gets, except a 
few weeds pulled out. Every lady visitor exclaims, 
“Oh, what Pansies! What do you do, Mrs. L., to 
make them so thrifty?” I have had twenty-four 
different colors, and markings of a great many de¬ 
scriptions. 
. Mrs. A. C. Long. 
Button Hole Bouquets. —These should always be 
dainty, sweet, and not too large. It has become quite 
fashionable, if you wish to have everything cm fait at 
a small dinner or tea party, to place on the napkin a 
small bouquet or spray of flowers. Ivy leaves, the 
hardy, real Kenilworth Rose Geranium, and Rose 
leaves themselves form pretty backgrounds; an Ivy 
leaf with blue or white Violets clustered before it; 
Rose leaves, with sweet Alyssum and Rose-buds, the 
smaller the prettier, no cultivated buds can equal the 
wild ones for loveliness, they have a sweet, modest, 
fresh look their sisters cannot wear. Persons say, 
“ every leaf is adapted to its flower, or rather vice 
versa, and are suited to none others.” This may be in a 
variety of cases, but the above-mentioned leaves suit 
any small delicate flower, especially the Ivy. Many 
persons cannot even make a tiny bouquet with taste; 
it requires practice as well as other things. I wit¬ 
nessed an attempt the other day; the lady with R. 
Geranium leaves, a small pink Verbena, a sweet 
white Alyssum. After she had fixed it for full five 
minutes, it came from her hands a crowded, smothered, 
uncomfortable looking bouquet. “I can’t do it,” she 
exclaimed; “do make me another.” “Self praise is 
no recommendation,” but I took the 
^ same materials, with a bit of scarlet 
Geranium instead of Verbena; in a 
minute it was done, and really pretty. 
Purple Heliotropes and pink Rose¬ 
buds, with a bit of Alyssum against 
an Ivy leaf is lovely. Any'of the 
following flowers are desirable: The 
Forget-me-Not, Myosotis, different 
colors, Lily of the Valley, humblest 
but sweetest of all Lily’s, Madeira 
vine, with its fragrant, feathering 
flowers, is excellent for ladies’ wreaths, 
and for dress decoration, Mignonette, 
Asperula, Jasmine, with its subtle 
perfume and starry blossoms, Phace- 
lia, both colors. The graceful Oxalis 
cups, sweet Honeysuckles and Pan¬ 
sies; many of the wild flowers are 
suitable, and are bouquets in them¬ 
selves. The trailing Arbutus, or 
May Flowers, with its peculiar 
flowers, woody incense, and waxen 
leaves; partridge berry, with white, 
small twin flowers or scarlet berries; 
Princes Pine, striped pretty white 
and green leaf and waxen artificial-like flowers and 
wildwood fragrance. Many of the grasses can be 
used to good advantage. 
Caladiums, &c.—The Caladium is a plant of 
highly variegated and ornamental foliage, and may be 
new to some of your readers. It is very desirable for 
pots, baskets and vases, and is easy to cultivate; 
mine is about six inches high, and has three leaves 
the same length. It is in a six-inch pot, with a good 
rich soil; it gets the sun from 2 p.m. until sunset, and 
grows very nicely; how much sun it will bear, I can’t 
tell exactly, but considerable. Mine is very handsome, 
the centre of the leaves are white, shading to a deep 
green at the edge, beautifully streaked and spotted 
with scarlet; others have a pink centre, green edges, 
and white spots, another variegated green and black, 
very deep crimson; and still another a brilliant green, 
with scarlet and white spots. These are the hand¬ 
somest varieties I have seen, but all are beautiful and, 
to my eye, nothing is prettier for the window, they 
are so cheerful. 
Marie Antionette. 
Washington, D. C. 
