The household (of the Detroit free press)

While wrestling with the engraving mania, try this upon your ivory paper knives, jewel cases, etc. : Make a composition of one ounce of white rosin, half an ounce of white wax and two ounces of asphalt. Cover the surface of the ivory with this and when evenly coated take a sharp pointed instrument and cut the design which is intended to ornament the surface through until the ivory is reached. In the deeper places use a sharp knife. Then cover the surface with strong muriatic acid, allowing it to remain four hours when the weak composition may be carefully removed with a knife, the surface washed, and the design will be found beautifully engraved. GRASSES. FOR VASES AND BASKETS. Commence to gather grasses in July and keep on all summer and fall, as they head and ripen. It is best to gather them — and also ferns and leaves— on a dry, clear day. Strip off all leaves and cut the stems of your grass a convenient length ; then put in vases, or anything that will hold them, and set away in a closet, to keep free from dust and preserve their color until wanted for a winter adornment. All sorts of burrs and balls from trees are pretty; also the green and ripe wheat, rye and oats. The latter are especially graceful and handsome, and should, with other grains, be put immediately away and loosely in a vase so the heads will droop. They are very ugly if standing up stiff. The South furnishes a great variety of lovely grasses, sea oats, etc., all of which will keep for years. Wild rice is also very pretty. The pampas grass 132 HOLIDA Y FESTIVITIES. is magnificent with its long feathering plumes, and it can be cultivated in gardens here at the North. To see its creamy plumes waving in the wind is a beauty one can never forget. A variety of it grows in some portions of the West to an immense height, and has great gray heads, long and beatiful. They are very handsome arranged in large bunches over pictures and windows. The balls of the gum tree are odd, and ornamental to mix in with grass in vases and baskets, and also to put on rustic frames for small pictures. These grasses gathered at different seasons give different tints, which add much to the beauty of the bouquet. HOLIDAY FESTIVITIES. "COMPLIMENTS OF THE SEASON." Take white or tinted bristol board, and cut the cards the desired size. Arrange a bouquet of pressed flowers, a tiny fern, very small autumn leaves, pansies, geraniums, bleeding heart, a sprig of ivy, salvia or any delicate flower or leaf that will press nicely. Make two small holes near the bottom of the card and tie the bouquet to the card with some bright ribbon in color not to clash with the flowers. The words, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Compliments of the Season, etc., if written nicely, are an improvement. These are less expensive and more acceptable than those bought. EVERGREEN DECORATIONS. These have become part and parcel of the celebration of Christmas, and for this purpose are used holly, ground pine, trailing pine, ivy, all kinds of evergreens, leaves, mosses and ferns, till both church and house are made redolent with the fragrance of the pine woods.