"The Distaff."

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2110, 16 January 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

"The Distaff."

Hanging Baskets.—Very pretty effects can be produced with hanging baskets fiilled with suitable flowering pot«, ferns and lycopods, and thoy ought to be more generally used than what they are. Large baskets if not out of proportion to the surroundings are more effective than smaU ones, and plants are more easily kept in them. Frrom 2ft to 4ft across are tho baskets we recommend, with a thick lining of iuofs or cocoanut fibre round the sides and bottom, and filed in with nice fibrous peat. This would hold in the moisture, and allow of proper drainage. In the centre of such a basket should be placed some bold foliftged plant—such as a Calla, a Cana, Cordyline, or hardy Dracjena —ind around it might be placed plants of a graceful habit of varying lines of foliage, and different habits, seeing that they are hardy enough for outside work. Amongst the plants most suitable are the fuchsias, of which perhaps two should be found: some of the Tropieolums, Tradescantias, Cobseas, Clematises, Convolvulacfte, and such like will furnish the trailing plants, and there are many variegated leaved plants or others with beautiful and graceful foliage that would help to fill in and make a real little garden of the hanging baskets. To make the most of the situation, there ought to be several climbing plants adorning the posts and pillars of the balcony or verandah in which they are hung. When baskets are hung in the green-house there is far greater scope for obtaining good effects : but even here the baskets are almost invariably so small that only one plant can be grown In them, and the result is that one can see more of basket and ppat or moss than of plant; whilst a basket plant ought to entirely cover the wire, &c, and look like a ball of vegetation. In the greenhouse cultivation of basket plants the moat lovely effects can be produced by the employment ot bulbous flowers for the middle, and drooping ferns and other plants for the outside, aa for instance hyacinths, jonquils, &c, for centre, and adiantums, tropjeolums, &c, for the outside. In larger baskets some of the highly coloured bold foliaged draccenas can be used for centres, and silver and tricolor pelargoniums, fuchsias, aralias, adiantums, and various drooping and trailing plants for the outer circles — indeed there is such a variety of plants suitable here that it would be easy to achieve the most charming effect by the exercise of a little artistic :

Noveltiks ik decoration.— Red and maroon lace curtains have been somewhat popular this season, principally for dining rooms, where they veil the window by being quite crossed at the top and then drawn away. To anange this crossing satisfactorily, the curtains are usually sewn to a piece of stout muslin, high up, out of sight. The soft silk scarves looping them hack are tied about half-way up. Cream and while lace and muslin ones are arranged in the same way for drawingroom wiudows portieres. Sometimes two fancy silk handkerchiefs are used for keeping them back, ono being tied round the curtain, with the point to one side, and another looped in and finished aff in a careless bow. Portiere curtains of Liberty's soft oriental silks have been a good deal used this summer, as many as three shades being put together, generally with a fancy one of different make on one side of the doorway, and two of other colours looped together on the other— brown and two shades of gold, briok-red, and peacockblue, and several odd hues pecu^'ar to Liberty's goods. Velvet on one Bide and soft eilk on the other looks very well. Large tins, with long-pointed hooks, fitted into gilded wall baskets of goodly size, are often to be seen on. one side of a portiere curtain, fixed to where it is looped back, and filled with sweet-sented flowers, and long sprays of fein, prrass, and pampas, spreading upwards anu outwards. Bulgarian chair covers are now adopted as short curtain blinds to dining-room or bedroom windows. They are run on a string, and either looped back or left to hang down, according to taste. Occasionally they are fantastically caught up with loops of ribbons or fans ; they are also used in rery dainty bedrooms as washstand splashers, festooned down one side and across the top of a piece of gold or coloured Ameiican cloth. The beautiful flilk embroidery on these Bulgaj ian and Turkish chairbaoks is often carefully cut and appli(]iied on to satin or velvet, and made up into nightdress cases, glove or handkerchief sachets, or album covers. Austrian blankets, with their bright coloured striping, are often to be seeu over beds. Children's Frocks. — There is is but little variety in the make of children's drosses. Mothers and nurses will find tho blouse costumes particularly easy to make, and comfortable to wear. Bodice and skirt are nil cut in one, the bodice extra long, so that when the drawing string is tied to the additional length hangs over. Foulis, a soft twilled woollen stuff, especially red, is to be recommended ; it novor crushes, and is strong and light. Many of tlio seaside frocks have a miniature sbi'-np'ng net attached to the side, which gives great satisfaction to tho rising generation. Smocking is universally applied to little girls' frocks, sometimes in tho sleeves, at wrist, and shoulder, to secure tho fulness in tho front of bodice, at neck and waist, or as a yoke piece , and lastly, as more original, as the wrist, in the form of a Swiss belt. The pinafore dreS3 is a pretty notion ; it looks like ono dross over another, a pale blue cotton one, drawn in high to the throat, and a pink one over, coming to tho height of a low bodice; stripes are made thus over plain colours, and so on. It is necessary to choose your colours well for seaside wear. Anneline dyes are to be avoided. Next to tho inevitable navy, a deep dark terra cotta is to be recommended. Little girls are wearing pea-jackets, with pockets and gold buttons— a miniature facsimile of those of their older yachting friends. Some of them are even made in pilot cloth. Small garments of this description are very bewitching, and so are tiny dolman-shaped waterproofs of a select tone, which fit the figures of small damsels from two and a half. Ridiug jackets, too, a.o^

made in silk-covered mackintosh for little gill", and should be used by those who tike out their ponies without any regard to weather. A useful cloak for girls of all ages is made in fawn woollen stuff, reaching to the hem of their di esses ; plaiu in front, and fitted to the figure at the back. As the season advur.cca, these will bo made in rough coaroe cloMi. Tun subjoined simple preparation is siid to be dosiiablc for cleaning and polishing old furniture. Over a moderate fire put a perfectly clean vessel. Into this drop two ounces of white or yellow w-ix. When melted add four ounces of pure turpentine, then stir until 0001, when it is ready for use. The mixture brings out the original colour of the wood, adding a lustre equal to that of varnish. Ax English writer calls attention to the following curious coincidences. He says :— " Under Queen Elizabeth, it will bo remembered, a Cecil was in effect L'rime Minister, and did his country great service. Under Queen Anne a Churchill earned for England glory at homo and abroad. But now under a third Queen, Qufen Victoria, we find that a Cecil and a Churchill have united m placing their abilities at their feet.