A MINERAL GARDEN.
Fill a clear glass jar—a fruit jar will answer the purpose—with sand, to the depth of two or three inches; insert a few pieces of sulphate of iron, sulphate of copper, and sulphate of aluminum, so that they will be barely covered with the sand.
Now fill the jar to within about three inches of the top with a solution of silicate of soda, commonly known as “water-glass,” which can be procured at most large city drug stores. This should be diluted with three times its bulk of water before it is poured in; and care should be taken not to stir up the sand and disarrange the chemicals.
After standing about a week, the silicates of the various bases will appear in a luxuriant and variously colored growth, resembling vegetation.
Now the silicate solution may be displaced with clear water, which should be poured in very carefully, so as not to break or disturb the vegetation. This permanent miniature forest will be found to present a very attractive appearance, and as no pruning or weeding are required, the young gardener will probably feel that his trouble is well repaid. Its development from day to day will be watched with interest by all the members of the household, although it will be of especial value to the invalid, to whom any new and interesting object to watch is a blessing indeed.
Another pleasing and ingenious device I insert for the benefit of this class of my readers, wishing, in the meantime, that it might be in my power to make their in-door life so bright and full of interest, that they would forget the more active sports of their sturdy brothers and sisters, or at least cease to regret their enforced confinement. This little affair I shall call
THE CRYSTAL VASE.
This sparkling ornament will almost make itself, so little trouble is required.
You have only to half fill a tall glass tumbler with water, and put in half a teacupful of table salt, then let it stand.
As the water dries out, put in a little more, adding salt also in due proportion; and keep this up for five or six months.