ara 
ii 
auiES 
j^ousdholfr 
1 llaljuiet mill 3Piciorhil 
;oiiie 
sonijimium 
AUTUMN LEAVES—EVERLASTING 
FLOWERS. 
Much, nonsense has of late been written about 
autumn leaves, I know ; and many failures have been 
caused thereby. But they can be preserved so that 
they will be really beautiful. I liave never yet seen 
full instructions on the subject. My knowledge has 
been gained by experience, which I will give for tire 
benefit of those who, yearly, “ when the melancholy 
days have come , v gather the bright -hued leaves, press, 
and give them one thin coat of varnish, only to have 
them wither and curl up. Much depends upon the 
selection of leaves. Many lose their beauty. The 
best I know are hard aud soft Maple, Hickory, Quiver¬ 
ing Aspen, Cottonwood, Pear, Shrub, and black and 
white Oaks. White Oak leaves are beautiful, but 
fade soon. Sumac leaves and the crimson leaves of 
the Sassafras are the very best. Leaves can be pre¬ 
served by pressing and then dipping them in melted 
wax, or ironing them with a waxed iron. But the 
colors are much more brilliant when ironed and then 
well varnished, and will keep their color full as long. 
Gather the leaves and iron them the same day, and 
iron them dry. A little practice will teach you how 
hot to have your irons. You must have a good supply 
of leaves, as you will spoil many. For bouquets, 
hunches of leaves can be kept on the twigs by careful 
ironing. Frames should be large, or you must select 
very small leaves. Largo frames will give most satis¬ 
faction. They need not ho put together very neatly, 
as the leaves will hide all imperfections. Tack strips 
of pasteboard on the frame, as some leaves will not 
adhere to wood. If medium size, very heavy paste¬ 
board alone will do. Put in your glass and picture 
first, and fasten firmly with strips of muslin pasted 
around the edge. Put common brown glue iu a large 
bakiug-powder can and fill two-thirds full of water ; 
soak over night, then boil slowly. Have it thick and 
hot. Pour out a little in a saucer and dip in the 
lower half of the leaf, press it on the frame, leaving - 
the upper half loose. They will curl slightly after a. 
time and have a more natural appearance. If the 
frame is oval begin at the top, and finish the bottom 
with a rosette of leaves, having several long slender 
ones, like Shrub Oak, or Sumac. These should also 
he arranged along the edges. On square frames 
groups of leaves can be put on the top, bottom, sides, 
and corners. For the centre of these use everlasting- 
flowers, berries, or acorns. 
To preserve choice leaves, arrange on cards, or form 
•into bouquets on heavy paper, and frame. A pretty 
design is a basket made of cones or moss, arranged t 
look as if filled with leaves and ferus. It must be 
framed flat against the glass. This arrangement will 
be sure to please. Ferns can also be made into many 
lovely designs. They must be gummed on paper, or 
put into books, as ironed, or they will curl. The 
secret of success iu pressing autumn leaves lies in iron¬ 
ing them dry and using plenty of varnish. White is 
usually recommended. I prefer common furniture 
varnish. Leaves for cards varnish on one side, for 
bouquets on both sides. Frame immediately after the 
work is done. Give all two or three coats of varnish. 
Follow faithfully these directions and you will lie 
astonished at the brilliant beauty imparted to the 
leaves. They can scarcely be distinguished from wax 
autumn leaves. Engravings look better framed in 
leaves than chromos, and small oval frames, or 
wreaths of leaves, look well hung on the long cord 
above large pictures. Wreaths of grasses and ever¬ 
lasting flowers can be bung in the same way. Orna¬ 
mental grasses and everlasting flowers, I think, are not 
very generally cultivated. To those who have not, I 
DRACiENA AND ORNAMENTAL FLOWER-POT. 
say, try them. Besides being very ornamental in the 
garden, nothing you can grow will give such lasting 
pleasure. - I have kept several kinds four years, and, 
by remodelling once in a while, have fresh bouquets. 
All kinds named in the catalogues are worth raising. 
ANCHOR OF EVERLASTING FLOWERS. 
The new scarlet globe Amaranth, though not classed 
as an everlasting, is splendid, aud the old white works 
up beautifully. I have a bouquet made of the last- 
named and the scarlet berries of the Indian turnip, 
with Ambrosia or Jerusalem Oak for foliage. This 
dyed green with one ounce of chrome green and half 
an ounce of gum arahic in half a pint of water, hot, 
but not boiling. This is the very best preparation I 
have found for coloring moss, seed-pods, or foliage of 
soft texture. To color grasses, dissolve the gum arable, 
dip in the grasses, then dust them with the dry 
coloring. 
I have an imitation of several hanging-baskets, 
filled with moss stripped from an old log, dried, washed, 
and colored without breaking. On its well-rounded 
cushion are everlasting flowers, berries, and shells. 
Frames aud designs, such as arches, anchors, crosses, 
etc., can he made of this colored foliage and everlast¬ 
ing flowers, that will bo everlasting, indeed. Many 
flowers and seed-pods, such as Love in a Mist, or 
Balloon Vine, can he dyed various colors, and are 
handsome when dyed and then crystallized. Early in 
autumn take a ramble in the fields, along the sloughs 
and creeks, aud you will he surprized at the variety 
aud beauty of the curious things you can collect. 
Then, with ten cents’ worth of analiue dissolved in hot 
water, you can color enough for yourself and all of your 
friends. Faded grasses, everlastings, coxcombs, etc., 
can he dyed to look better than at first. With analine 
you can dye any color. With purple analine you can 
dye all shades of rose and pink. 
Dried grasses can he painted in the following man¬ 
ner: Dip them iu a solution of gum arahic, and with 
the fingers dust the following dry paints into them, 
viz., chrome green, marine green, Paris green, Vermil¬ 
lion red, ultra-marine blue, and chrome yellow. To 
crystallize grasses use one pound of alum and one tea¬ 
spoonful of fine salt in one quart of soft water. BoiL 
together iu a .brass kettle, uutil dissolved. Lay the 
grasses in the solution, while hot, for five minutes; 
remove those that are crystallized, leaving the others 
till done. Some receive the solution more readily than 
others. 
Don’t make all of your bouquets tall and stiff, 
when there are so many pretty ways to arrange them. 
On a table they look best in small baskets made of 
straw, brown paper, corn-husks, liclieus, or imitation 
of coral, or even burdock-burs, with or without crys¬ 
tallizing ; or you can buy cheap little wicker baskets. 
If you have not plenty of everlastings, fill up with 
moss, shells, bright pebbles, and autumn leaves. It 
improves almost any kind of a bouquet to have a few 
autumn leaves stuck around aud above it. Arrange 
myrtle, while fresh, around and over your baskets, and 
it will retain its beauty. Ambrosia is fine for foliage; 
Bitter-sweet, and what are known as Dry-land Cran¬ 
berries, are very beautiful. - 
Cracked preserve-dishes can he converted into orna¬ 
mental receptacles by painting, or using bronzine, in¬ 
side. Plaster vases and figures are treasures; super¬ 
fluous parts can he cut away, and howls or goblets, 
lamp bottoms, or like valuable articles secured thereon 
with putty, then covered with bronzine. Cornucopias 
made of lichens are nice. Turn up your noses, you 
dainty ladies who are rich enough to buy whatever 
you may fancy, or who do not care to exert yourselves 
to follow these directions ; hut I know that not more 
than one woman in a hundred, however much she may 
love pretty things, likes to spend much money for 
what others are apt to think useless. Aud yet, homes 
of wealth look hare and cheerless without those little 
things, which give evidence of the presence of a woman 
of taste and refinement. Though you can buy such 
things, they usually have a houghten look. Besides, 
you lose the pleasure and interest of making them, 
and the satisfaction of knowing that you can. 
Berry Winterbright. 
