THE LADIES' FLORAL CABINET. 
337 
to color them bright red. This wax is very u-eful to 
pour over corked bottles to render them air-tight, and 
by tying a piece of stout muslin over Old fruit jars and 
pouring this wax over it, they can be utilized for keep¬ 
ing many kinds of fruit. Mrs. C. G. Herbert. 
Teach the Boys to do Housework. 
The following good suggestions are given by a writer 
in the New England Farmer: 
“I have often wondered why mothers do not more 
generally teach their boys to do housework, and thus in 
many cases, secure the best of help. One of the sad¬ 
dest of the many sad sights in this world, is that of a 
poor, wearied, over-worked mother, slaving herself to 
death to wait upon her boys, who are sitting around in 
her way or learning the ways of evil on the street, when 
they might and should be her efficient helpers. The 
larger the family, the more help she ought to have. 
Even in families where there are girls, the domestic 
education of the boys should not be omitted, unless, as 
is the case in most farmer’s homes, there is plenty of 
outside work for them to do. Many mothers neglect 
the household training, even of their daughters, think¬ 
ing it less trouble to do all the work themselves, than to 
teach their children. This is a great mistake, one that 
NOTES AND 
The New York Horticultural Society held its first 
meeting and exhibition for the season in Horticultural 
Hall, on September 2d. We regret to say, that in at¬ 
tendance, interest and display of flowers, the affair was 
a failure. The reason why we cannot give, as this, like 
all other societies is composed of individual members, 
and as it is upon the combined action of a society’s 
members that its success depends, we propose to let 
each member ask himself the cause of this disinterested¬ 
ness, and then answer his own question. The writer’s 
reason for not exhibiting was because he had nothing to 
exhibit. That is, nothing of real merit, and it is not 
very commendable to fill up a given space simply to 
carry off undeserved premiums. 
Among the exhibits was a tolerably fair show of Glad, 
iolas, from Hallock, Son & Thorpe, but nothing to 
compare with the exhibits noticed in our last issue. The 
same firm showed more than seventy varieties of Dah¬ 
lias. both the single and double forms, all of which were 
remarkably fine, and for so early in the season the dis¬ 
play was an uncommonly good one. Among the single 
forms was an Anemone-flowered one that was worthy 
of special mention. The flower was of medium size, 
petals of good substance, and the color a dark rich 
maroon. The same firm showed Geraniums, Carnations, 
miscellaneous cut flowers, a fine plant of Begonia 
Gegoorises, a species from Sumatra, of recent intro¬ 
duction, remarkable for its handsome foliage. The 
leaves are shield-like, almost circular, the largest being 
about eight inches in diameter. The color is a deep 
metallic green in the upper surface, traversed with veins 
of emerald green, and shining with a satiny lustre. 
The under surface of the leaf is red, the veins being of 
a deeper hue. In a collection of variegated-leaved 
plants, this is a decided acquisition. 
works evil in all directions. Of course it would be 
easier for a teacher to do all the reading and spelling, 
and examples in arithmetic for her scholars, than to 
teach them to do the work themselves; but it might not 
be best for them. It requires a great deal of time and 
patience to train a colt for the various duties which will 
devolve upon him in the course of his life; but it would 
hardly be considered good management to let him grow 
up without such training. 
To be sure, the over-willingness of the little ones to 
help is sometimes rather trying, especially when one is 
in a hurry; but let them do what they can, praise them 
when they do well, encourage them to do better, cor¬ 
rect their mistakes patiently, and see if the result is not 
satisfactory. The burdens of life should be more 
equally borne. Parents should allow themselves, as 
well as their children, time for reading, writing, music, 
etc. The scarcity of good help is one of the standing 
complaints of civilized life. If the children—boys as 
well as girls—were systematically trained to do house¬ 
work, as they should be, this difficulty v\ ould soon be 
obviated. Besides the piesent help, such training would 
be of the greatest advantage to them when they have 
homes of their own. I do not believe that any one ever 
had reason to regret the possession of a thorough knowl¬ 
edge of housework.” 
COMMENTS. 
John Egan, Esq., showed two bunches of Barbarosa 
Grapes, weighing five pounds each, that were really 
good but not fully ripe. N. Hallock, Esq., of Creed- 
moor, N. Y., exhibited a large collection of Zinnias, as 
good as we ever saw exhibited. The Zinnia is a specialty 
with Mr. Hallock, and the flowers showed plainly what 
well-directed labor in any branch of floriculture will 
accomplish. C. E. Parnell, Esq., of Queens, showed a 
miscellaneous collection of cut flowers, among the 
number many old favorites, some of them so rare as to 
become novelties. The Rose did not grace the exhibi¬ 
tion to any extent; John Henderson, Esq., exhibited a 
few very good Teas, just sufficient to keep the flower 
in remembrance. 
* 
* * 
Hyacinthus Candicans. For the past month this has 
been a prominent feature in our bulb gardens, and it 
continues to grow in favor. We have recently seen 
long nursery rows of it, with its spikes of drooping 
bells, reaching from four to six feet high, and carrying 
in some instances as many as sixty blooms. This plant 
will thrive almost anywhere, in sun or shade, wet or 
dry situations, in good soil or poor, and is, as we have' 
before stated, perfectly hardy. Ihe mission of this 
plant seems to be to grow and beautify, and it fully 
accomplishes its mission, for we have never seen it in 
a situation where it did not thrive and bloom profusely. 
To give such a plant a poor soil, where it could not 
fully show its capabilities for usefulness, wmuld be 
to abuse a kindly, generous nature; a sin that should 
be classed as an unpardonable one. In an artificial, or 
mechanical arrangement of flowers, these are very 
useful, for, even when wired to a stick—a shameful 
way to treat a flower—they do not lose their grace, 
beauty or cheerfulness. Like all true maityrs, the 
