The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1893-10-19
LOOK TOWARD CHRISTMAS.


Treasures the summer Folds VIII Yield
for the Winters Holiday.
Every home maker Knows that II
adds greatly to the holiday festivities
to have the table and house handsome
ly decorated with flowers, green things,
and the like, and, the most of us know.
too, that when we are filed with
Christmas enthusiasm our generosity is
sure to be larger than our purse, and
If we have only the latter resource,
decorations are pretty sure to give
way to the more important needs,
Why not turn ovor n new leaf TIL.
year and practice the virtue of fore.
thought? If you are in the country, or
live where you can make an occasional
excursion into it, there is scarcely a
fence corner that will not yield some.
thing to Jour collection. Not trash,
either, that will make your rooms look
like a cheap bazaar or "a childrcn's play
house, but materials which, artistically
arranged over n background Of hand.
some evergreen (Which, of course, must
be had fresh at Christmas), will make
them indeed charming.
1t is almost too late to gather ripe
grains, but there are many grasses and
weeds that have beautiful seed heads.
md II these are gathered and dried by
trying them in snail clusters, heads
downward, in a dark closet, they can
be effectively utilized for any number
of different decorations. But, emcm.
Der, artistic effects are only possible
when they are used In the natural
state, and that alum crystals, dyes and
paint make them cheap, gaudy abomi-
nations. To add bright touches Of
color, gather a generous supply of the
gorgeous red-and-ycllow fruit of the
bitter-sweet vine, Swcetbrier seed yes.
sells, dogwood, mountain ash, winter.
green and asparagus berries. Besides
these you should have thistlcs and
milkweed seed pods for pompons; cat
tails, ferns and mDsses; pine, hemlock
and other cones acorns, chcstnuts,
walnuts and buttcrnuts, gathered
green on branches, as well as fully
ripe; sumach and all sorts of bright
hucd autumn leaves, and, dainticr than
any, the soft, fluffy lunches and long,
trailing vines OF wild clematis. Vases,
photograph frames, card baskets, boxes
and many other articles can be pretti-
ly decorated with grey lichcns from
old fence boards and rails. The cyme
Of the e~ldcrberrY, from which the
ripened berries have fallen, is beauti-
iul in form and rich In color.
In short, when once you are inter.
ested in the subject, there Is almost no
end to the treasures you will find. But
do not be content with dried or other.
wise preserved spe linens. Carry home
some fern roots and enough soil to pot
them in. Put in potsherds or charcoal
for drainage, press the soil close around
the roots, then set the pots in a dark
corner of the cellar until the middle of
October, watering once a week. At
that time bring them into a cool room
set them by a north window, keen
damp, butnot wet, until growth starts,
then give more water and n low tenn
perature, and at Christmas you should
have thrifty, handsome plants for dec
orative purposes. Bat whether you
can obtain any or all of the materials
mentioned above you surely can ex.
pend a dollar or two in winter flower
ing bulbs, as hyacinths, tulips, freesias
~polyanthus narcis5uscs, Chinese New
Years lilies (Narcissus Orientalis,
etc, and by planting them properly
both as to time and manner you MAY
have n profusion Of fragrant blossom.
for table and other decorative purposes
N, Y. Times.