oral 
joXiiiei tuiSl 3^ietorml BHEame 3^am|nartian. 
NEW YORK, DECEMBER, 1876. 
MAKE YOUR HOME BEAUTIFUL. 
Home! Southey says: 
“ There is a magic in that little word; 
It is a mystic circle that surrounds 
Comforts and blessings never found beyond 
The hallowed limits.” 
Those that have trouble in keeping their Ivy vines 
through the winter may make beautiful substitutes of 
wax. If you cannot obtain the moulds, make a smooth 
paste of plaster of Paris, and press natural Ivy leaves 
of different sizes into it, taking care to do it before the 
paste hardens, and to press them firmly into the moulds 
so that there will be no air bubbles. After you have 
formed the moulds take a sheet of green wax of the 
right shade and lay it on the mould; lay a wire cov¬ 
ered with wax along the centre for a stem, then an¬ 
other sheet of wax, and press them firmly into the 
mould; remove and trim the edges; in this manner 
form enough leaves to make your vine as long as you 
wish ; then take a good sized wire covered with the 
wax and arrange the leaves upon it as naturally as 
possible. Put your vine in a vase or fancy flower¬ 
pot, and place it on a bracket under a group of pic¬ 
tures ; twine the vine around them as naturally as you 
can, and you will have a vine that will not freeze the 
first cold night that comes. 
Pressed ferns and autumn leaves are something 
all can have, and when nicely arranged do make a 
room beautiful. Take large, feathery ferns and bril¬ 
liant sumac and maple leaves, and arrange them in 
Ihe form of lambrequins over lace or muslin curtains, 
and loop the curtains back with sprays of ferns and 
leaves. Then hang a pretty hanging-basket or trans¬ 
parency in the window, and you have no idea, unless 
you have seen the effect of ferns over lace, what a 
pretty window you will have. 
I press my leaves with a hot iron and rub with 
spermaceti. I always press a few green leaves and 
vines; the vines work in so nicely with the leaves 
in ornamenting picture cords, and in bouquets with 
ferns and grasses. You can make your own vases of 
the coral work described in the Cabinet, putting in 
little paper cones to hide the stems. Baskets made of 
coral work, lined with moss and filled with everlast¬ 
ings, dried grasses and leaves, look pretty. 
A beautiful design of everlastings is made thus : 
Have an oval piece sawed out of wood, about a foot 
long, eight inches broad and one inch thick. Fasten 
in the centre a cross fifteen inches high, nine inches 
across the arms, one thick and two broad. Cover both 
standard and cross with bright green moss and ever¬ 
lastings, putting them on with glue. Then of heavy 
wire make an anchor, and wind on moss and everlast¬ 
ings with thread, and put it on the standard, leaning 
against the cross; form a wreath in the same manner, 
and put it on the other side. I have one made in this 
way that took the first premium at the fair this fall. 
This design looks pretty on a corner shelf, with 
lambrequins of perforated board worked with scarlet 
zephyr and wax beads, with little tassels of zephyr 
and beads on and between the points, or a lambrequin 
of spatter work looks nicely. 
To make a portfolio for engravings, take two sheets 
of white card-board the size you want the portfolio. 
In the centre of one, pin fancy letters to form the 
words “ Portfolio of Engravings,” with tiny vines and 
ferns twined around the letters, and groups of grace¬ 
ful leaves, ferns and vines in the corners; put similar 
corners on the other sheet, with a bouquet or orna¬ 
mental design for the centre; spatter the whole, bind 
with narrow black ribbon, and fasten together with 
little bows, or spatter with blue ink or dissolved indi¬ 
go, and bind with blue ribbons. 
For imitation of lava work, take two pounds of 
putty, two teaspoonfuls of coach varnish, two of de- 
mar varnish, one of Japan dryer, four heaping tea¬ 
spoonfuls of burnt umber, more or less according to 
the shade desired. Mix the other ingredients well to¬ 
gether before mixing in the putty. If the composition 
is too moist, wrap it in paper; if too hard, add raw 
linseed Oil. Make plaster of Paris moulds of leaves, 
fruit, acorns, wood-carving, cast-iron ornaments, &c 
I took a pretty mould from the flowers on a glass fruit 
stand. Make a little rim of putty around the object 
you wish to mould, and pour a thin paste of plaster of 
Paris over it and let it harden. 
Have the foundation of your bracket, frame, wall- 
basket, or whatever you wish to make, made of wood 
and painted, so that the composition will adhere; then 
cover with a thin coat of the composition, made soft 
with the oil; then take impressions from the moulds 
(you need the composition quite hard for this), and 
apply before the groundwork hardens. After finish¬ 
ing it let it be until it hardens; then varnish; or it 
may be gilded by taking one ounce of benzine, cut it 
with best proof alcohol; apply with a sponge. 
Lillie Atherton. 
PUBLISHER’S AMROUNCEMENTS. 
Last Number. Renew, Renew. —All subscriptions to The 
Cabinet, for 1S76. expire with this number, both yearly and trials. 
Renew then quickly, and bring as many new names as possible. To 
every one bringing th.ee or more subscribers, we will allow toward 
your extra copy 20 cents for eacu additional subscriber you get. We 
hope all are so well pleased that we may have the pleasure of their 
company again for 1877. 
Rack Volumes. —New subscribers, who are pleased with The 
Floral Cabinet, will find in back volumes an immense fund of 
delightful reading, pictures, and the choicest of family music; there 
are single pieces of music so sweet and charming as to be alone 
worth the price for a volume. We will club these together with 
subscription for 1877, as follows; 
$2 00 will pay for subscription 1877. the steel plate engraving, and all 
the back numbers of 1876, January to September. 
00 will include all of 1877,1876, and 1875. 
400 “ “ “ “ “ and 1874. 
5 00 “ “ “ “ “ “ and 1873. 
Round volumes for each year will cost 65 cts. for each volume in 
addition to above prices 
Missing: Papers. —To any subscriber, at any time, we will 
always furnish a missing paper. First, ask the Postmaster if a copy 
came with the label otf, if so, it belongs to vou; if not, we will send 
another on notification. We wish subscribers to receive all they 
pay for. 
Prizes for Clubs—A Prince Parlor Organ, worth $100, is given 
to the club agent who gets up largest club for 1877. See Oct. Num¬ 
ber and Premium List for other Prizes. 
Books on sale. Agents Wanted.— Our Household Books 
are so popular, and so sure to delight the ladies, that to any snbscri- 
ber, club agent, or agent, who can sell copies among their friends we 
WI gire special commissions. They may purchase of us. and we 
will take back all they cannot sell, and refund the money. 
The Economical Cook Book.— This is a very neat and use- 
iul manual tor ladies’ housekeeping, cheap and very full of reliable 
recipes; contains nearly five hundred on all topics. Edited bv a 
Housekeeper of practical experience. Given free for club of three 
subscribers to Floral Cabinet, or sold for 80 cents, postpaid by mail. 
Six Months’ Subscriptions. —By reference to publisher’s 
new terms, subscribers are allowed privilege of six months’ sub- 
scnptions a.t Go cents (without Premium), to begin with any 
number. This will accommodate those who may not be able to 
pay but for six months at a time. It is better, however, to pay for a 
lull year at one time, and thus save trouble of double remittance and 
correspondence. 
To Housekeepers.— Ladies will take note that the Prize Col¬ 
lections of Recipes, which The Cabinet will publish next year, will 
be of immense value to them , virtually a first-class Cook Book of 
themselves, worth $ 1.50. We do not see how any lady can do without 
them. V! 
Special Discounts. Silk Book-Marks for Holiday 
Presents. —Until Christmas we will offer collections of Silk Book- 
Marks for Holiday Presents, at special discount, as follows: 
For $2.00, purchaser may select Book-Marks, worth at retail $2 50 
“ 3.00, “ •• “ “ “ loo! 
“ 5.00. “ “ “ “ “ “ 7 00. 
For any chosen from the Toe. class, in lots of three or over, special 
discount of 20 per cent. 
The beauty of these articles is such that all who purchase once will 
he sure to purchase again. Lower prices will he given to any who 
wish from one to four dozen. 
A Sweet Home Paper.— The Florae Cabinet is eminently 
a practical paper of Home Work. It avoids fashions and exciting 
stories, and considers things of common sense and practical use; but 
specially teaches ladies how to beautify their homes —this is our 
special mission. We choose flowers as a leading feature, but it is not 
an exclusive subject. Music, Art, Elegancies, Housekeeping—all we 
give, have ideas which have cost time, dollars, and experience to 
procure. There are plenty of papers at cheaper price, hut none which 
give more true worth for the money. 
Household Books. Premiums for Clubs.— A club of only 
eight entitles club agent to one of these splendid household books: 
•‘Window Gardening,” ... Eetail price, $1.50. 
“Household Elegancies,” “ •• ],50. 
“Ladies’Fancy Work,” - “ “ 1.50. 
It agent’s club is less than eight, 20 cents is allowed toward any hook 
for each name in his club, and he can remit balance in cash. A little 
effort on the part of each subscriber will enable him to get his book 
or paper at a reduced price. 
Beautiful Music. —Back numbers of The Florae Cabinet 
contain dozens of splendid pieces of mnsic, charming home songs 
and melodies. Not one of them is poor. Not one could he bought 
in a music store for less than 40 cents. Buy the back numbers, they 
are rich in merit, music, pictures, and reading. 
Holiday Presents to Ladies. —In choosing your gifts to 
present to ladies, do not forget those indispensable books, “House¬ 
hold Elegancies,” “Ladles’ Fancy Work,” “ Window Gardening,” or 
some Silk Book-Marks. They are all charming in the highest degree. 
Nothing can please the ladies more. 
Compliments. —“ There is always a pleasant excitement in the 
family when The Cabinet arrives. I love it very much, and have 
never met with a paper which I can more willingly place in the 
hands of children. I think yours a grand enterprise .” 
“I enjoy The Florae Cabinet very much. It looks so pure and 
fresh, too, and its embellishments are so charming it seems just the 
paper for the parlor of refined taste, for either the rich or poor.” 
“We are highly delighted with The Cabinet. It is always wel¬ 
comed with joy in our family.” 
MAGNIFICENT HEW FLORAL PREMIUMS. 
“The Floral Cabinet” Collection of Sew Seedling 
Gladiolus. —This is a new collection, never before offered, grown 
exclusively for us, which consists of twelve flowering bulbs of Gladi¬ 
olus, of the finest quality and most exquisite variety of colors. r J he 
quality of this collection is unequalled, and in every respect, we can 
safeiy guarantee them extra choice. The same quality of named 
varieties of Gladiolus, obtained of reliable seedsmen, would cost $12 
The colors range from the most fiery scarlet to the purest white. 
Offer No. 1.—This collection, worth $12. will be given free to any 
person who will raise a club of 15 subscribers to the Floral Cabinet 
at $1.30, and also an extra copy of paper 1 year, free to agent. 
Offer No. 2.— To any one'wlio will get up a club oi 20 subscribers 
at $1.30 we will give sufficient bulbs that the members of the club 
may have eacn 1 bulb worth $ 1 , and the club agent the entire set of 
12 , also with extra copy of paper free 1 year. 
Offer No. 8 .—One subscription at #3, will give subscriber the. 
Cabinet 1 year and collection free, all worth $15. 
This collection is not for sale by any seed house, and cannot he ob¬ 
tained at any other place, and all are new seedling varieties just 
originated. 
The Floral Cabinet Collection of Balsams —This com¬ 
prises the best strains of Camellia-flowered Balsams ever offered. 
The Balsam is a great favorite with the ladies. This collection is the 
very cream, of the extra choicest sorts ever raised its value may he 
judged when the seedsmen have offered 10 certs a seed for ail that 
can be spared. We know there is nothing in Europe or America to 
equal them. The collection consists of 6 j aekets. pure white, deep 
rich purple, brilliant scarlet, crimson spotted, velvet violet spotted, 
and carnation striped. The flowers arc so large and perfect as to be 
almost equal to roses. The set is worth $L5u at least, and can be ob¬ 
tained only on the tollo wing terms: 
No. 1.—-A club of 10 subscribers to Floral Cabinet at $1.30, will 
entitle club agent to 1 set of above packets, $1 50, and 1 extra copy 
of Cabinet and engraving free. 
No. 2.—A subscription of $2 to Cabinet will entitle subscriber to 
the paper and collection in addition. 
Ho. 3.—A club of 4 subscribers at $1.30 will entitle agent to the 
collection tree, as a premium. 
No. 4.—A club of 20 subscribers, at $1 80 each, will entitle club 
agent to enough packets to present each member of the clnb with 
the collection’'worth $1.50. also the Cabinet and engraving 1 year, 
all together worth $3.80. and the club agent to extra set of paper, en¬ 
graving, and collection, free. 
The supply is limited, and those'who desire them will do well to 
get clubs in as soon as possible. 
These collections of Balsams and Gladiolus are named specially 
after the Floral Cabinet, and we are very cautious never to send 
out anything but just as represented. The good name and fame, 
and honor of the Cabinet is the best endorsement of these new 
floral collections, which are oi extraordinary value. 
