The walking-club already mentioned will have made the gathering of ferns and autumn leaves part of its work; and a little trouble expended in drying them carefully will give winter ornaments, which in the right place are always beautiful. The right place is certainly not on lace curtains, from which they are perpetually falling, nor anywhere where they are liable to be constantly knocked off. Single ones are often used to great advantage in transparencies ; but the best arrangement for all such collections is in a large vase, either in a niche, or on a corner-bracket, where a dark background will bring out the beauty of form and color. A few feathery dried grasses, tall bleached ferns, and sprays of maiden-hair, and bright leaves interspersed, will be pleasant to the eye through all the winter months.

In gathering ferns, never hold them in the hand, as they wither immediately, and cannot be restored. Carry a basket and an old book. Lay long specimens in the basket, and small ones between the leaves of the book. If there are no old bound volumes of newspapers given over to such uses, cut and fold the large dailies the full length, so that the longest fern will have full room to be laid flat. Put each one in separately; and, when all are in, put under an even, heavy weight. Have a duplicate set of folded papers, and change each day, drying the damp papers near a fire, so that they will be ready to use next day. A week of this is enough. But the ferns may better remain in the papers till wanted. If the stems break, use very fine wire, by means of which they can be fastened in almost any position.

Autumn leaves, if treated in precisely this way, will never shrivel, and require no ironing. Gather large sprays, as far as possible, and lay each leaf in its natural position. Pressed in this way, they can be used above pictures, and are much more easily handled. Another method has lately been given in one of Appleton's"Home Books,"which is better than ironing, or the ordinary varnishing or waxing. The leaves are first pressed as described. Melt pure white sheet wax by putting it in a dish, and standing it in hot water, allowing two or three drops of turpentine to each sheet. Each leaf is to be dipped in the melted wax, and held there a few moments ; then taken out, and laid on paper to harden."If the wax is of the proper heat, the leaf will look as if just varnished; while, if too hot, it will shrivel, and, if too cool, lumps will form on the surface of the leaf. Leaves treated in this way seem perfectly natural, but can also be varnished."

Grasses come to perfection in midsummer, and, though sometimes pressed like leaves, can simply be tied in bunches, and hung, tops down, to dry. Many people bleach or dye them ; but my advice is like Punch's to young people thinking of matrimony, -"Don't."Their beauty is in their naturalness ; and magenta or blue grass is, most certainly, any thing but natural.

Seaweeds are at their best in July, August, and September. In collecting them it is best to carry a little pail of sea-water, and, as each specimen is gathered, drop it in; as, if carried any distance without water, they lose much of their beauty. Low tide is the time for gathering them ; and old clothes and shoes will be necessary, as the best specimens have to be scrambled for. Wash away every particle of sand or slime by rinsing them many times in fresh water. Then lay them in a shallow dish of water, and float them on to the cards or sheets you propose to mount them on, arranging every strand and fibre with delicate scissors, or a black-head pin. Drain the water carefully off by slanting the card; dry for a moment with a very soft cloth; and then press them in newpaper-books, changing them several times until dry. Sometimes mucilage is necessary. A full description of all varieties found on our coasts, with the best methods of treating them, is given in a book on sea-mosses, the full title of which is on p. 411.

The town of Erfurt in Germany is noted for its drying of natural flowers so perfectly that they are sent without injury to all parts of the world. The finest sand is used, and directions from the German authority are given here.

"In the first place the sand must have water poured over it until it runs off clear, every particle of dust or dirt having been carried off. Then dry it, either by spreading in the sun or in an oven, and, when dry, sift carefully. The sand will then be pure, like 'silver sand.' The flowers to be dried in it must be very perfect specimens, and no moisture on them from dew or rain. Gather them after the dew has dried. Put a deep layer of sand in box or pan, in which holes have been bored, and a paper laid over them, and stick each flower upright in it, not letting one touch the other. When all are in position, the troublesome part of the work begins. The box is to be filled with sand, so that every flower is perfectly covered, and every leaf and petal must rest firmly on sand before it is covered. To do this the sand is sprinkled slowly through a small sieve or a funnel; and, when the bo-is full, it must be covered, and carried, without jostling 01 shaking, to a warm, dry place; the best temperature being a steady one of 100° F. In three days the flowers should be dry. The sand must then be run out from the box by piercing through the paper in the bottom, first taking off the lid, so that each flower as it appears can be lifted out by the stem, and carefully shaken. At first they will be very dry and brittle, but soon draw moisture from the air, and can then be arranged as liked. Flowers are also preserved by dipping in paraffine-oil.

Skeletonizing leaves and flowers is a very old art, the best use of which at present is to teach forms and characteristics of plants. The simplest method, though a long one, is to gather each variety of leaf when in perfection, and put in a tub of rain-water, open to air and sunshine. A month, at least, will be needed before any become soft and pulpy. Then put feelings aside altogether, and go at the most unpleasant and slimy job of making them ready for bleaching."Slip a card under the one to be taken out, and so transfer it to a basin of fresh water, when it will float off the card without breaking. Two or three brushes and a knife are then needed for the cleaning,-a soft brush, one of stiffer bristles, and a toothbrush. With the soft brush, the outer surface of pulp is brushed away, the leaf being again lifted by a card, and placed on a piece of smooth glass; and then, by dexterous touches, the entire pulpy surface is removed, water being carefully poured over it to complete the cleansFor bleaching, take half a pound of chloride of lime, with three pints of soft water, and stir and mash the lime fine. Then put away the pitcher holding it, and let it settle an hour; finally straining it into a bottle, which must be kept corked. For bleaching, put two tablespoonfuls of this solution to a pint of water; though for thick leaves, like holly, magnolia, etc., three will be needed. Watch the leaves carefully as you lay them in ; and as soon as bleached, which will take only a few moments, float them off on cards, and dry on a soft cloth. Then press in a book ; and in a day or two they will be ready to mount, either as a bouquet, or with a background of black velvet. Stems are often lost; but good ones can be made by stiffening crochet-cotton with gum, and gumming it to the back of the leaf. The most usual way is to have a round velvet cushion, with hole in the centre, and arrange the wreath or bouquet on this, putting it on a stand with glass shade. The stems must be gummed to the sides of this hole ; letting light leaves be the centre, and seed-vessels, etc., around them. A cross covered with black cotton-backed velvet makes a very pretty ornament. There are various other methods of bleaching and preparing ; but this is the simplest for beginners, who, as they progress, can experiment at will.