THE LADIES' FLORAL CABINET. 
125 
back, leaving an inch-wide lap, from three inches below 
th e wnist lino down, at both the side-back and under-arm 
seams. When trimmed up the fronts to the shoulder 
scams with fancy ornaments made of soutache braid, 
arranging an ornament on each shoulder seam, and one 
between them on the center seam of the back, one on 
each sleeve, and also on the overlaps, make very pretty 
garments. 
For more dressy occasions, visites and mantillas are 
to be used, made-up in olive, deep-green, blue, or 
black cloth, cut with high-curved shoulder pieces, 
which form square sleeves below, and are trimmed 
with chenille fringes corresponding in color with the 
material upon which they are used. Black mantles, so 
desirable, because they can be worn with almost any 
suit, are this season made up in heavy repped ottoman 
silks .and satin brocades. These will bo popular in man¬ 
tillas with cape-lilco back and half-long fronts, cut 
either in points sloping away from the waist, or with 
square corners. Black chenille fringes trim these 
handsomely, but the lace frills seem more adapted lo 
warm weather, and for these the Spanish laces with 
their thick silk designs are the mest desirable. 
Very dainty cashmere fichus made up in delicate 
shades, ornamented with silk embroidery and soutache, 
and finished with heavy silk fringe, tied in the hem and 
knotted below, are predicted to become popular with 
young ladies to wear with white muslins and light 
dresses during the summer. 
In dress goods, the new black silks are of gros grain, 
ottoman repped, and brocaded ottoman, and are trimmed 
with satin-cord, passementeries, or chenille fringe, 
though heavy Spanish lace, that is all silk, is used on 
the most elaborate suits, in some cases the entire front 
being covered with flounces of this lace. 
The summer silks, which promise to be popular, are 
shown in small checks, composed of several of the new 
colors. These silks are always desirable, because they 
repel the dust so well, and are made up this season with 
collars, vest and plastron of velvet. 
The new printed India pongees are of much lighter 
weight than the ecru of last season, but are considered 
quite as durable. They come in the new shades, solid 
colors being chosen for the underskirt, and for the over¬ 
dress, a variety of designs are shown, printed on grounds 
to match the plain color. 
Printed foulards having a satin finish, or else twilled 
similar to silk Surah, are generally in high colors, with 
large figures. These large-flowered designs seem to be 
the prevailing characteristics of all the novelties in 
dress goods, but will not be chosen, except by those 
whose wardrobe is composed of a variety of suits, as 
when often worn one would soon tire of them. There 
are always small and subdued designs in the different 
materials, to suit the tastes of those who do not care to 
adopt the glaring patterns. 
The cotton goods for this season are unusually beau¬ 
tiful. There are cotton sateens with a fine twilled siu- 
face which come in as delicate colors as the foulards, 
and make up in costumes winch are very pretty, and 
quite inexpensive, the price being as low as thirty-nine 
cents per yard. Scotch ginghams, always neat and ser¬ 
viceable, are shown in tiny checks about the size of a pin’s 
head, and when made up resemble very closely the 
summer silks. 
PLAIN DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING DELICIOUS BREAD. 
It has been said that ‘ * bread is the staff of life, ” but , we 
suppose, it was good home-made bread that was referred 
to: as the kind furnished by the baker, and that which 
the average servant will place upon your table', would, 
in our estimation, be a very poor dependence for life. 
No one article of food is of such importance as bread, 
and yet, how few housekeepers know how to make it 
properly! If half the time and energy that is expended 
on learning to make cake were devoted to the art of 
bread-making, many who now think the latter an ac¬ 
complishment quite beyond them would bo surprised 
at their success. Every young girl should be taught 
that her education is incomplete unless she can make 
perfect bread, and every mistress of a house should be 
able to teach a servant, if need be, and to know just 
where the blame lies if the bread is poor, whether it is 
the fault of the fibur, yeast, or the carelessness of the 
bread-maker. 
The flour and yeast must be perfect to insure success 
with the bread. There are two kinds of flour, which all 
good grocers keep now, either of winch make excellent 
bread: the St. Louis, which is made of white wheat by 
the old process, and the different brands of “new 
process” flour. Bread made from the latter is more 
delicate and flaky, and does not dry out as quickly as 
that made from the old process. There are some brands 
of “ new process ” that make very fine bread and 
biscuit, but will not be successful in cake. Good flour 
will look white, and feel soft when nabbed between 
the thumb and finger, and will pack easily. Fine flour 
is always lumpy when taken from the barrel to sift. 
The flour having been decided upon, the next question 
is the yeast. Of the yeasts in market, our first choice is 
Ager’s Hop Yeast, and this we should use in summer, 
if one has not conveniences for keeping home-made 
yeast, and we should by all means use it to start our own 
yeast with. It has been thoroughly tested, and will 
make sweet bread under the most adverso circum¬ 
stances. 
YEAST. 
Put one large handful of unpressed hops into a thin 
muslin bag, and boil in two quarts of water until all 
the strength is out; or, throw the hops in loose and 
strain them out. Pare and grate three good-sized pota¬ 
toes, and stir into the hop-water; let it boil about five 
minutes. Add one teacup.of sugar and a heaping table¬ 
spoon of salt, then put in one teacup of sifted flour which 
has been stirred smooth with sufficient cold water to 
make it about the consistency of cream. , "When your 
yeast mixture has boiled up thoroughly, pour it into the 
crock it is to lighten in, and when it is cool enough not 
to scald the yeast, put in a cake of Ager’s Hop Yeast die- 
