Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1874-08-14

The habit of observation thus formed
Is almost an education in itself, while 40
much pleasure Is combined with it that
the children never grow weary of the
undertaking. By the time that they re-.
turn to the city they will have choice
collection to transfer to their Blank
Book that is to be the permanent home
OF their treasures, and many long, dis
NAL wintry day can be shortened by
spending few hours in carefully fasten-
ing the preserved specimens to the pages
of the Herbarum. This can be done
with little mucilage, or by cutting slts
IN the leaf of the book and drawing the
stems through.
Ferns, also, can be collected and pre-
served in the same way. These are love-
ly for winter decorations, and the chill
dren can hardly collect too many, espec.
tally Of the Maiden's Hair variety. July
IS the best month for collecting ferns,
and they need to be pressed long time
or they will curl up when used in vases
or baskets. If pressed in July, it is we'll
to keep them in the pressing book until
they are wanted for use in the fall. A
basket of ferns and autumn leaves, taste
fully arranged, is one of the most beau
tiful ornaments Of any room in winter.
A collection Of small fern leaves might
also be made for the Herbarium.
The different varieties of leaves will
also interest the children, and older peo-
pie too. A collection of all the different
forest leaves is well worth looking over,
and they are SO easily pressed that the
Juveniles will take special pleasure in
collecting and preserving them, and their
wide open eyes will discover new varie-
ties where, until their attention has thus
been called to the subject, all would have
looked alike.
Ii the stay in the country is prolonged
until the foliage puts on its autumn col
ors, there will be little need to encourage
the children to collect the bright leaves.
They will come from the woods with
their ar as laden with purple and scarlet
and golden branches and every leaf will
seem too beautiful to throw away. They
Will brighten your home all winter.
gladden. the eyes of your poor neighbor
who could not afford to go to the coun-
try, and who has had only far-off view
of the glory of the autumn. Let the
children fill all their books with them
any books they have so little moisture
IN them that they do not need the Pa
tent Office Reports to dry them. Get
all you can-maple and beech and red
oak and sumac and long trailing vines.
Send the children for baskets full Of the
feathery seed vessels of the wild clemat-
Is which grows in all the fence corners
from Maine to Minnesota. Then carry
them all back TO your homes in the city.
Some cold day next November, when
the sky is gray, and the first snow is fall
ing, and the winds are wailing around
your house, and the children partake Of
the spirit of the occasion, and are all
out of sorts and don't know what to do
with themselves-then bring out your
autumn leaves. Put some newspapers
on table and some old clothes on the
children. Pour some boiled linseed oil
IN cup and give each child a little
paint brush and tell him or her. as the
case may be, to cover each side of every
leaf with thin coating of linseed oil.
This will bring out the color and pre-.
serve them from fading
While the children are so EMPLOYED
you can get your ferns and your cle-
mats, and you can arrange all into bas-
kets, vases, wreaths, or any way you
please. The children as they work will
remind each other of the spot in the
woods where they found those ferns, of
The tree they climbed for those leaves,
of the excursion they took for that cle-
mats. And you, listening, will feel that
their summer in the country was not
'pent in vain.