Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 March 1892 — A Pretty Window Ornament. [ARTICLE]

A Pretty Window Ornament.

Get a piece of sponge—the coarse, cheap kind is the best—and, after wetting it thoroughly with warm water, squeeze it gently so as to wring out most of the water, but not all. Have ready some seeds of rice, oats, millet, barley, grass and red clover, and push them into the holes of the damp sponge. Now hang it up in a window where it will get the sun during part of the day, taking care to sprinkle it with a little water every day for a week, so that it may be kept slightly moist. Soon the littia spear-like leaves will begin to shoot from every part of the sponge, and as they increase in length, a beahtiful green fringe will be seen falling down over this rustic basket and covering it on every side. It will remain green and refreshing to the eye for a long time. If carefully tended and sprinkled the clover will bloom. Secretary Tracy says that the next thing of navy designers to study out Is some device for doing away with coal on cruisers. Perhaps the progress of civilization would be at least equally served if the inventors should let the coal alone and devise some plan lor doipp away with the cruisers