In the imitation of pearl, nothing has yet presented itself so favorable to the writer as the beautiful and new method of preparing fish scales for embroidery. You may take the scales from a large size fish, the larger the scales the easier they are to handle. Lay them in salt water for a few hours, until quite well cleansed, after which wipe them clean, and place them between two sheets of writing paper, and lay a weight on them, allowing it to remain a whole day, until they are dry and hard, when they are ready for further use. Now draw the pattern of any favored leaf, or whatever you wish on the scale, with pencil, and cut it out with small scissors. If you are conversant with the form of leaves, you can save time by cutting out the leaf without first drawing the outlines. Draw in the veins of the leaves next with a needle. Stretch your dark velvet tightly to an embroidery frame, place the pattern which you wish to copy before you, and imitate it by sewing the leaves, one at a time, on the velvet with fine gold thread, and the leaf stalks and tendrils embroidered with the same. Wet the thread before using, to render it flexible.