The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-10-04
Natures Ornaments.

IL you have a corner that IS too far
away from the centre of the room to
form socahle position for scat, get q
large trumpet. shaped vase (they may be
had to the height Of six feet, and almost
of any price), and a.. it with branches
OF horse chestnut. With Q feW Of theg
ierns arranged 80 as to hang over the
sides of the vase, aud. some bullrushes
stretching their long brown heads high
above the chestnut foliage, your bare
corner will become a thing of beauty
instead of an eye.sorc. These vases so
filed may also be placed with advan-
tage to show above tho pretty japanese
screens that abound in modern drawing
rooms. AT this season all water plants
such as yellow ,rises Commonly called
1ags), rushes, reeds, etc. Arc in their
prime, and nothing locks better in a
large vase, or more especially q Japan
ese jar, than any of these, or a variety
prettlly grouped. Taking care to arrange
your flowers az much after the fashion of
nature as possible, ls the golden rule of all
successful horal decorations. Thus, sup
posing the above named aquatic plants
are used, and, in addition, water lilies,
forge5-me-pots and ragged robins, which
ding to arrange them in shallow wooden
tub filled with damp sand--place the
water lilies around the edge, and again,
tho ragged robins, mixing with them any
of tho leaves OF about tho same height
which may be found in abundance IN
marshy places; behind these, again, group
your irises, with their sword.hk leaves.
and, as a centre, have mass Of bulrushes
n M RI rrtu
llghtness to the WHOLE avoiding any stiff
ness in the arrangement by placing good
many Towering grasses here and there over
the whole, allowing them to top the
| forget-me- nols and water-lilics by as much
as they would do when growing naturally.
For high decorations use tall-growing
| flowers, for low ones such as are st,lnted
in their growth. Growing Ivy trained
over a cane screen has often been recon-
mended as a decoration; but owing to the
necessary damp earth and the Likelihood
Of creeping things (such as carwlgs)
good thing. Long gathered sprays Of Ivy
look just as well, and can be kept clean q
| long ti'no by sponglng them every day.
In gathering ferns r.alaenhair espec,ally),
care must be taken TO select tho old fronda,
and they will last twice as long If part of
the frond as we'll as the stalk Is in the
water; it Is also good thing to immerse
them every day Cover head) IN water.
Such ls often used instead of mere water
to arrange flowers In; and when this is the
case 1t must be looked at every day, as IT
Is apt to dry very quickly. Small bask ett
guided with Judson's gold paint (Which IL
clear and etfective). and with tins made tc
fit them, are very pretty, either In the
| drawing.room Ur on dinner table. The
small round baskets, formed like gypsy
kettles, and which can generally be sup
Piled with broken cup or claret glass al
a flower holder instead Of q shaped tin, arc
very effective, when arranged as we st
often used to see them--pendant tron
three sticks, kettle-tashlon, the whole
being covered with silver paper, or, better
still. git. The small baskets IN which W.
buy strawberries are useful for holding
flowers, either painted or gilt, aud a
| garden saucer docs very we'll to hold th'
water. Bottle baskets divided into com
partments about ak inches square lool
well with a small flower pot In each com
partment and an ivy trail round th'
handle. Creeping plants are not hal
enough used for house decoration
st. Louis wants a u. 8. Mint es
tablished within her confines. There
arc four government Mints at presen
-Philadclphia, New Orleans, Sal
Francisco and Carson City, Nevada
Tho assay offices are tivo in number
New York, Helena, Montanta; Boise
City, Idaho; Charlotte. N. c.. and al
assay office called tho United State