rwa 
By Henry T. 
. ^ 
Williams. 
VOL. IV. 
NEW YORK, MARCH, 1875. 
No. 39. 
Price 12 Cents. 
OTJR 
HANGING 
BASKETS. 
made by fastening' a periwinkle shell on the standard 
over the shell, 
and it is now one of the most beautiful 
“Dear, dear!” said Auntie, one day last summer, 
“how I wish I had something to put my Kenilworth 
Ivy in; it is crowding my Oxalis to death. “So do I. 
If wo only had an old tin basin ! ” Whereupon we 
started on a search which ended in the workshop. 
Now you must know that we 
live in the country, where none 
but home-made baskets could 
be obtained. As we were sit¬ 
ting there talking, I espied an 
old cracked glue kettle, and 
iokingly held it up and said, 
“Why won’t this do?” “It 
will,” said Auntie. “Iwonder 
what we will cover it with ? ” 
“ Moss,” said I; and immedi¬ 
ately I started to search for 
some, and found on an old 
board fence some beautiful gray- 
brown lichens, which were very soon 
deposited in my basket. We com¬ 
menced by glueing them on the bottom 
and then covered the sides, trying to 
place a dark one by a light one, not 
forgetting to cover the bail. It was 
completed by the addition of a few 
groups of small hemlock cones, which 
added to its beauty greatly. It now 
hangs in a north window, and has grown 
a yard in length all around. It is now 
a mass of beautiful green, admired by 
every one who beholds it. We also 
have a log-cabin basket, a description 
of which may be of use to your numer¬ 
ous readers. There are twelve round 
sticks, fourteen inches in length, laid up 
cob-house fashion, overlapping each 
other three inches at each end. A board 
was put in for the bottom, and the whole 
was then lined with moss. In it were 
planted a magnificent Coleus, two Ger¬ 
man Ivies, two Acharanthus Gilsoni and 
Aurea, two flowering Begonias, scarlet 
and white; a Dusty Miller, Tradescantia 
Zebrina and Linaria. The basket is a 
perfect beauty in every respect. It is now hanging 
over our window garden. We have another pretty 
ornament, which I would like to describe. It was 
of a broken goblet. A small piece of the goblet re¬ 
mained on the standard, which we covered with white 
things I ever saw. I would write about our window- 
garden, but I fear this is too long already. Will do 
so another time if the editor would like to have me. 
L. E. D. 
Floral Design for Room Decoration. 
paint. The shell was then glued on and left to dry. 
In it was planted some Kenilworth Ivy and grass, the 
name of which I do not know. The Ivy has run all 
POINSETTIA. 
I was much gratified by the 
article in the December number 
on Poinsettia Pulchcrrima. I 
became interested in the plant 
two years ago, but on inquiring 
of a florist, was told that it 
would be impossible to grow it 
when the heat fell below 70 
degrees at night. Consequent¬ 
ly I did not procure one, but the 
experience of your correspond¬ 
ent seems very different. It is 
very desirable to have all our 
Floral cousins as clear and definite as tins 
one, but I wish to ask one question more 
of her. When pinching in August, are 
the shoots merely to bo stopped or well 
shortened back ? I have two Yincas, a 
pure white and a pinkish with crimson 
eye. The leaves drop off and do not 
appear stiff and flat as in the open air. 
I have sprinkled them, given much sun 
and little, but cannot make them do 
right. Can any one prescribe ? I think 
people after trying some mode of culti¬ 
vation are too apt to ascribe some par¬ 
ticular virtue to that mode, when 
another season may show a very differ¬ 
ent. result. I know some winters it 
seems as things grew without any care, 
when another time the utmost pains will 
not avail. I have often wished queries 
could be answered near- the time of 
writing, as wisdom often comes too 
late. I would like to recommend a 
Geranium, dark red nosegay, Mr. Glad¬ 
stone. It is bushy, free flowering, 
easily grown, and large trusses. A very 
distinct shade. F. 
Calla Lilies. —When is the proper time for the 
Calla to rest ? Answer .—In the summer. 
m 
Mrs Virginia Dimmer 
