Winter Stores For Decorations

Momitain-asli berries shpilld be picked before üie berries begin to drop. The, best method to preserve them for winter use is imquestionably strong cammon salt pickle - strong enough to float an ajiple, ïubs, crocks or glass jars in be uspcl (or thu purpose; the latte? (il ornamental), or gold tish or aquarium bowls, look wel! n passages or halls, when iilled with thin btmches of briglit berries and salt water, made olear by filtering, The vessel must, of course, be closed air-tight, and if it iias nocover it can be tied down with bladdor, or oiled paper, or silk. Bunches of Pyracanthus Ijerries can be equally well preservcHl as soon as tliey have reaelied perfectioa; and also barberiles and hips. 'J'he experiment has been tried with succes ; even with sloes, AU ornamental geseling and ' ing grassea shoukl also be gathered dry and before tooi-ipe, tled in bimches if smal], or left in single tresses if larger. Quickly drying thein against ;i hot wall or Jiot shelf, between papéis, is the best method to preserve the color. Grasses should not ie pressed, as it spoils their natural graceful sliape. A good way is to tle them in a musUn bag, with the sterns outside, which will prevent their being injured. Most Qiosses, too, are ]iettier not pressed, as t flatteus tliem unnaturally, especially the thiek ïo.md tniils of tlie stagshorn. A ca]iial way is to loosely fill a lai-ge btsenit tin wiüi dry gatlieretl inoss, and pul it open into a cool oven for tvo successive nights, When quite dry close the tin and paste around air-tight. Anotber way is to lili any tin or tub loosely with sun-dried moss, and slowly Bhower into it Hne, dry, hot sand, till all tlie epaces afe tük-d p, tlien cover air-tight. Lüe Bilvevy d'usses of "honesty" should Uso be gathered now when perfect, eoveretl witli ïnuslin and hung in ;i dry place, and all everlasting flowers for winter use watched and treated in the sanio way. If any of them are found too much closed, sprinkle them slightly vvith water and hold them before a clear lire. Steaming slightly and then quickly drying lias also leen found siiccessl'ul. The flvst fading but not frost-liitten specimens of hirgècommon ferna should be collected now on diy days, luid in natural position letsveen sheets ei ooacse brown paper to dry and preas, and packed in hu-ge flat vessels n hot Band, and kept in a dry place; this plan preserves the brightest yellow and browns. All ears OfEorn shoiild be tlms preservèd, too, as well ;is bright-colored pear-tree leaves, whjcli, if picked and preserved at the proper time, rival the Canadian f or brightness of hues. Bramble and Virginian creeper-leavea also preserve best in hotsand, flat or packed oeiween wotters uid oven-dried. An open-eyod walk through liekls, gardens, or conservatorias will reveal a host of leaves aml o:r.or thmgs wliieh can be preserved and tttüized winter decoratioas, The beautiful natmally skeletonized cover of the Cape gooseberry, so of ten found, forma a pretty addition. Tlie fruit eau be carefully taken out and the shells dried for usé. Tassela if aeacia seed pods, and many otliers, wil] be found pretty material. All kinds of fruit-stones and seeds for ornamental frameworks, rustic stands, etc, as well as all pine and fir cones, should be timely collected and dned; also gall-apples, acorns and cups, pretty twigs, etc. Bnncbea of rushblossoms may also now lie dried or packed in hot Band. In orchards and fruit-gardens, branches fringed with the lovely gray-green moss whichgrows on apple-trees, currant-bushes, and on oíd planklng or posta, can also be collected and dried, and advantageously used for winter decorations. Large, perfect specimens of common fems have ateo 1 esn uccessfolly preserred green, on the same principie as cucumbers, olives, etc., in strong brine. Copper or verdigris can be used with it,