Tincture From Scraps Of Lemon-Peel

Fill a wide-mouthed pint bottle half full of brandy, or proof spirits, and whenever you have bits of waste lemon rind, pare the yellow part very thin, and drop it into the brandy. This will strongly impregnate the spirit with essence of lemon, and form an excellent flavoring for tarts, custards, etc.

A Night-Cap Made In A Moment

Take your pocket-handkerchief, and laying it out the full square, double down one third over the other part. Then raise the whole, and turn it over, so that the third folded down shall lie underneath. Then take hold of one of the folded corners, and draw its point toward the centre; then do the same with the other, as in making a cocked hat, or a boat of paper. Then take hold of the two remaining corners, and twisting the hem of the handkerchief, continue to roll it until it meets the doubled corners brought to the centre and catches them up a little. Lift the whole and you will see the form of a cap, which, when applied to the head, will cover the head and ears, and being tied under the chin, will not come off. Very little practice will enable a person to regulate the size of the folds, so as to suit the head.

Acorn Trees

Very pretty ornaments for the parlor may be produced by setting acorns to germinate in hyacinth glasses, and placing them over the mantel-piece. Half fill with rain water, a white glass, one of those usually employed for bulbous roots. Take a ripe acorn, which has been for a day or two steeped in rain water, or in damp moss or mould; with the aid of a piece of cork or cardboard suspend the acorn about a quarter of an inch above the water. Let the cork or cardboard fit the mouth of the glass tightly, so as to exclude the air. In a few weeks the acorns will begin to grow, and the interesting process of the germination of one of our noblest trees may be watched from time to time. When the leaves reach the cork another arrangement must be adopted; the acorn must be raised, the leaves be pushed through the cork or cardboard, leaving the young plant suspended. Should the water become green or turbid, it must be changed; and if any fungi appear upon the acorn, they must be carefully brushed or wiped away. The oak plants thus produced will, with attention, flourish for two or three years - the most important points for their preservation being the changing of the water, and the cleansing of the roots when fungous plants appear. When the acorns are first put to grow, nothing must be done to them except removing the cup; the shell of the acorn must be uninjured.

Coal Ashes Useful For Making Garden Walks

To three bushels of coal ashes, not sifted very fine, add one bushel of very fine gravel. Add water to these, and mix them until they become about as soft as mortar. Spread over the walks, the surface of which should previously be slightly broken and raked smooth. Make the mortar-like mixture smooth and even by spreading it with a piece of board. It will become hard in a few days.

Pea Vines A Winter Ornament

Fill a wide-mouthed glass jar with water, and cover it over with a piece of "foundation," (the ladies will understand this,) cover that over with a layer of peas, pressing it down so that the peas will lie in the water; they will then swell and sprout, the roots growing down into the water, their fine fibres presenting a beautiful appearance; set this in a window, and vines will grow up which can be conducted to any height.