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Aleck'S Quilting Frame

A porous (unglazed) vase was bought and moss was fastened about it as shown. The water, percolating through the pores, helped to keep the moss damp, cooled the water, and, when much evaporation and consequent coolness were wanted, the vase was set in a draft of air. The family have ice now, and the old water-cooler is now a living vase. It is kept full of water, and various small seeds are sown among the moss, which is held in place with fine silvered wire. Garden cress and various ornamental grasses are pretty growing in this way.

A modification of the Wardian case may be had by getting a stand of terra cotta, putting a rim inside, within which a glass shade is set. Inside the shade are mosses, lycopodiums and ferns; and between the two rims a living fringe of foliage may be had with a little care; for, the rim being kept filled with water, cut flowers may be maintained there as shown in the illustration of Plant-case Bottom. Sarah's What-not was a light affair, but heavy enough for the light articles it was to hold. It was made of card-board, small figured gilt wall-paper, velvet bordering, picture-frame cord and tassels.

Aleck's Quilting Frame must also be described: The legs, dddd, were of hard wood, one and one-quarter inch thick, three inches wide and three and one-half feet long; the bar, c, was two and one-half inches "eight square;" the rollers, a a, to which the quilt is attached, two and one-half inches "eight square,' with a strip of cloth on one side on which to fasten the quilt, the rollers passing through the legs at 1111; the cross-pieces, bb, were twenty-seven inches long, of inch stuff mortised at each end, which held the quilt stretched. These slipped on and off, and when not in use the frame could be folded up and put away. It has on more than one occasion been made to serve as a cot. 7