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A PRETTY PLANT STAND. 
Among the many tables and stands for plants de¬ 
scribed in the Cabinet, I find my own is decidedly 
unique. It was designed by our house architect for a 
bay window eight feet in width, and as plants and 
stands can be more easily attended by leaving space 
to walk around them, I resolved, like those people in 
cities who are compelled to build upward in order to 
obtain room, to have an addition to its height; so I 
have a two-story stand. 
Its depth at the bottom, from front to back, is two 
feet, and the width of the whole about five. The lower 
part consists of four steps or shelves reaching by grad¬ 
uated distances from the front to the back of the stand, 
and occupying nearly two-thirds of its height. Then 
oblique braces from the upper shelf of the lower tier 
support the lower shelf of the upper tier very nearly 
in a line above the second shelf from the floor, thus 
giving room to the plants on the shelf forming the 
upper part of the lower story, to grow between this 
last shelf and the window. Above this are two more 
shelves, the upper one six inches wide, placed on the 
vertical supports at the back, and forming the top of 
the stand, which reaches within one foot of the upper 
casing to the window. The whole is painted a stone 
gray, and though made of wood, has a light, airy look, 
the sides being open consisting of two parts each, the 
front oblique, the back vertical, and the shelves kept 
in place by cleats fastened to the centre and outside 
supports. Reaching the upper shelves necessitates 
the use of a step ladder, which is the only inconveni¬ 
ence. 
In the centre of the lower shelf, which is wider and 
stronger than the others, I keep my Calla, and on 
either side the plants requiring the largest pots. The 
shelves of the upper tier being designed for smaller 
pots and those plants which luxuriate in a warm at¬ 
mosphere. The top shelf being specially devoted to 
Cacti, bottles of water containing cuttings, and the 
Hoya Carnosa, which roots sparingly and thrives with 
tropical vitality in the heated space, sending its ivy- 
like tendrils in every direction. 
When preparing autumn leaves for room decora¬ 
tion, I am careful to leave them on the twigs or 
boughs as Nature placed them, where each leaf is 
ironed separately, and a thin coating of gum arabic 
spread over those naturally glossy. These, mingled 
with others, form bright hanging bouquets for -walls 
and ceilings. Lambrequins of richly tinted leaves are 
tastefully made by taking glue prepared with whiskey 
for ready use, and lightly glueing the stem of each 
leaf, poiut down-ward, to the lower edge of thick paper 
cut any desired shape. Above this place successive 
rows, and finish with a border of pressed gray, brown 
or green moss. When the colors are arranged artis¬ 
tically, the effect is very pleasing. 
Some autumn leaves, especially the Woodbine and 
Sumac, must be gathered after the first frost or as 
soon as their tints have deepened, as they drop early. 
The oak and maple will be found much later in per¬ 
fection. The delicate creeping mosses with fern-like 
fronds, when separated carefully and picked free from 
tiny sticks, roots, and lumps of earth, and pressed, 
make wreaths more exquisite even than ferns. 
June is usually considered the fern-gathering month, 
because then they press easily and retain their colors; 
but some of the loveliest I ever saw were gathered in 
Eastern woods in October. Going one day to get some 
blooms of the Hamainelis or Witch Hazel, I came 
upon a bed of maiden-hair Ferns bleached by the 
frost to the softest Naples yellow. When pressed 
they were formed into a wreath on black paper such 
as artists use for panel painting, and are the admira¬ 
tion of all who see them. Black velvet makes a rich 
background for a wreath of this description, and a nice 
frame can be made by cutting strips of stiff pasteboard 
about an inch wide the desired length, clipping the 
ends to a point, and covering with black broadcloth 
or fine casimere; then lap the ends at the corners of 
the frame and fasten with a white or gilt button, or 
with a convenient carpet tack, covering the head of the 
tack with a small sea shell. 
Bind the wreath and glass together with strips of 
gummed paper and glue to the frame. Hang against 
a white wall. Similar strips of pasteboard can be 
covered with gilt or bronze paper, and are sometimes 
preferable to black frames. Another way is to take 
thin strips of smooth pine wood of any desired length 
and width, and after joining the corners neatly, spread 
a coating of putty over the whole upper side, on which 
designs in leaves, vines, tendrils, or geometrical figures 
can be stamped to imitate carving. When dry, ]#iint 
the whole any shade of wood color desired. 
The same frame is more effective when the wood 
alone is stained black or dark walnut, and the putty 
then moulded into graceful forms to please the taste, 
placed on the frame, dried, and covered with bronze. 
This is fine for engravings. 
As all true lovers of the Cabinet like to have it 
a floral and art journal, I will say a few words in re¬ 
gard to pictures. When making purchases do not 
select immediately one that is conspicuous with bright 
color, but wait until the eye becomes accustomed to 
the glare and is able to take in details without excite¬ 
ment. You may then discover it becomes tiresome 
after a few minutes’ scrutiny, and turn with relief to 
one you had overlooked, where the subdued neutral 
tints of blending grays and browns combined with 
lively bits of color, produce a quieting, resting effect. 
We need something for our homes that can be seen 
often and studied without weariness. Something full 
of the charm of repose. When placed in position on 
the wall, let colored pictures hang by themselves, 
while engravings, photographs, and all black and 
white drawings can be hung separately or in groups. 
Avis Fay. 
CULTURE OE THE VERBENA. 
The Verbena is a very popular bedding plant, and 
is of numberless colors and shades, among which is to 
be found the brightest colors, the most intense scarlet 
and deepest blue, with striped, variegated, etc. Au- 
riculaflora is' a most desirable variety, comprising 
various shades, with a large distinct eye of white or 
yellow. Lovers of this fine plant will be pleased to 
learn that it can be raised from seed with very little 
trouble; in fact, it requires very little more care to 
raise it from seed than it does from cuttings. Seed¬ 
lings are more robust and healthy than cuttings, and 
are not as liable to rust. 
A pleasing feature about seedlings is that they are 
for the most part fragrant, whereas old plants are not. 
Seed should be soaked in tepid water for twenty-four 
hours before planting. Sow in a hot-bed the first of 
March in drills four inches apart, and cover with a 
scant quarter of an inch of rich soil pulverized fine. 
(I use an old sifter to sift the soil through.) Keep 
the soil damp, but never wet, and never allow it to 
become dry; either case would result disastrously to 
the seeds. In about ten days they will begin to appear. 
When the young plants have formed their third or 
fourth leaves, transplant to the garden. In removing 
the plants from the seed-bed, disturb the soil as little 
as possible, as the seed is very uneven in germinating, 
some not having sprouted when the first are large 
enough to transplant. In transplanting be sure to 
select a spot fully exposed to the sun; if anyways 
shaded they will produce an abundance of foliage, but 
not a single flower. 
Set plants about a foot apart; if too close they will 
be apt to mildew. Make the soil as rich as possible, 
using well rotted cow manure. A light porous soil is 
best suited for Verbena culture. A good bed of Ver¬ 
bena is a sight that will dazzle the eye with its bril¬ 
liancy, it being u a brilliant carpet of unnumbered 
dyes.” 
Some writers contend that a bed of Verbenas 
grown two or three years in the same place will be 
diseased with rust, but I have no trouble with it. In 
a bed of Verbenas from seed you will find new colors 
every spring. I have noticed in a bed of dark varie¬ 
ties only the first year, white and other new colors the 
succeeding spring, among which was a white one with 
a light green centre, a very novel color, and also very 
pretty. 
The inexperienced are in the habit of thinking that 
this plant is more easily grown than it really is; no 
plant will sooner show neglect than this. It will suc¬ 
ceed very poorly in a stiff soil that bakes. The plant 
is a half hardy perennial, blooming soon after sown. 
There is a variety called Montana that is perfectly 
hardy, surviving the coldest winters without harm and 
literally covers itself with its rose-colored flowers 
from the middle of April until winter sets in. It is 
altogether a most desirable variety, and oue that I 
would advise all to have. If you have any doubts as 
to your ability to grow it from seed, I would say buy 
plants from the florists, some of whom sell as many as 
twenty plants for one dollar. If you possess .not. a 
hot-bed, seed may be sown in shallow boxes the latter 
part of March and placed in a sunny window on the 
south side of the house, and kept covered with a pane 
of glass or a board; the glass is best. 
Seed do not require light to germinate, but it is ab¬ 
solutely necessary after germination takes place or the 
seedlings will be spindling and never will produce good 
flowers. Do not fall in the common error of sowing 
seed too thick, as besides diawing them up spindling, 
it interferes with transplanting. To all who have not 
tried this plant, I would say give it a trial. You will 
not be disappointed. Always buy mixed papers of 
seed, unless you wish a particular variety. 
Hampton, Va. W. G. Joy. 
Othonna. —Has anybody tried Othonna as a water 
plant ? I experimented a little last winter with it, aud 
am much pleased with the result. The foliage is more 
graceful than our old standby, Tradescantia. Last 
December I put some short sprays in a hanging-bas¬ 
ket made of a broken goblet covered with scarlet wor¬ 
sted and silver cardboard; filled it with Soft water, 
and put in a little charcoal. It soon put out roots 
and grew and blossomed, and in April it hung down a 
foot, and the roots filled the goblet. I was so pleased 
with this, I filled a tall white vase with wet sand and 
put some in that on the mantle. This soon reached 
the mantle and lay on the mat on which the vase stood. 
Then I put some in a glass stand for cut flowers, in 
wet sand. It looks well all the time, and makes a 
pretty draping when the stand is filled with cut flowers. 
M. J. P. 
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