FEMALE ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

Not BY MRS. CHAPENE.

Letter-Writing.—We are very sorry to confess the humiliating fact that, notwithstanding the number of editions of the "Complete Letter-Writer" that have been issued, and the quantity of female seminaries scattered through the country, very many of our sex are not elegant correspondents. We do not mean by this that they spell incorrectly, fold awkwardly, or seal splashingly—this last has been in some measure corrected by the introduction of self-secured envelopes; but, nevertheless, a letter may have its round periods and distinctly marked paragraphs, yet be destitute of the pith and marrow of a really agreeable epistle.

Letter-writing is generally complained of as a bore, or ridiculed as a school-girl weakness, yet it is the medium of much pleasure and happiness, and, as such, should always be a favorite occupation with our sex especially, who have ever been distinguished as excelling in the art. If it is a bore to send kindly messages, to interchange lively criticism upon popular music or reading, to record excellent or earnest thoughts, the writer can have very little to say, and that little might as well be left altogether, in nine cases out of ten. The tone of such a correspondent would be frivolous, trifling, gossiping, and no doubt the shafts of mischief, intended or careless, wing her words. We commend to such a lady the laconic and affectionate epistle of the French wife to her husband, if so be she must needs write at all: "Je vous Écris parceque je n'ai rien À faire; je finis parceque je n'ai rien À dire. I write to you because I have nothing to do; I finish because I have nothing to say." This would, at least, be common honesty, and a harmless, if not satisfactory communication.

Letter-writing, in its happiest aspect, is, as we have said, a pleasant interchange of thought, and may be made the medium of usefulness and happiness. If every idle word we speak bears witness against us, every thoughtless sentence written must have double weight. Spirited narratives of passing events, a summer day's tour, even of domestic incidents, clever criticisms, or suggestions, hearty good wishes, or the offering of sincere sympathy, these can never offend charity or good taste; but to write because it is expected of us is a tiresome hypocrisy no one should feel bound to keep up, out of which mischief to ourselves or others is almost sure to arise.

AMATEUR GARDENING.

A New Method for Hastening the Blowing of Bulbs.—The following liquid has been used with great advantage for this purpose: Sulphate or nitrate of ammonia, four ounces; nitrate of potash, two ounces; sugar, one ounce; hot water, one pint; dissolve and keep it in a well-corked bottle. For use, put eight or ten drops of this liquid into the water of a hyacinth glass, or jar, for bulbous-rooted plants, changing the water every ten or twelve days. For flowering plants in pots, a few drops must be added to the water employed to moisten them. Rain-water is preferable for this purpose.

City Gardens.—In winter, city gardens have generally a very gloomy appearance. The greenhouse plants, which, during summer, made a brilliant show in the open ground, have been blackened by frost, and present that appearance of ruined beauty which it is always so painful to contemplate. In many gardens, the pelargoniums (geraniums) and other greenhouse plants, which have stood out during the summer in the open ground, are suffered to remain till they are quite killed by the frost, and are then taken up and thrown on the waste heap to rot with the dead leaves, mowings of grass, and other vegetable refuse, in order that, in due time, they may form vegetable mould for other plants to grow in; but, in some cases, it is desirable to preserve the old plants of the scarlet geraniums during the winter, in order to procure a finer display of flowers early in the following season. When this is the case, the plants are taken up, and the earth being shaken from their roots, they are laid in a dry, shady, airy place, generally in the back shed of the greenhouse; or hung up with their heads downwards for a week or ten days. Each plant should afterwards be carefully examined, and cleansed from all decaying matter, and the branches pruned back to about four or five buds or eyes, the roots being shortened accordingly; after which the plants should be either potted in small pots, or laid in rows in a cellar with their roots covered with dry sand. Where the cellar is not sufficiently dry, they may be put into a spare room, passage, or shed, where the frost cannot penetrate, and where they are kept till spring.

At this season, if the frost will permit, the beds in city gardens may be dug over, that the earth may be ameliorated by the influence of the air.

PARLOR WORK.

The pleasant old fashion of centre-table work has been revived, except in New York City, perhaps, where, save in some secluded circles, every one seems bent on disproving the preacher's proposition: "To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven."

In the busy whirl of the metropolis, there is little leisure for domestic enjoyment. It is not even known when sleeping is accomplished; and eating, at least the one comfortable meal they allow themselves, is crowded between daylight and dark, at "blind-man's holiday." But in Boston and Philadelphia, in all sober country towns and villages, where pleasant society can be had, the work-basket makes its appearance upon the round-table once more, and chit-chat is stimulated by busy hands.

Nice plain sewing, not so fine as to injure the eyes, nor so large as to encumber either the workwoman or visitor, is always a graceful, womanly resource. It does not distract the attention, and many wearisome stitches may be set unconsciously, thus lightening hours devoted to real task work. We would not advise embroidery as an evening occupation, for the reason that, in most cases, it is a strain upon the eyes, to be felt sooner or later. Embroidery is, nevertheless, very fashionable just now; cotton embroidery for infants' shirts and petticoats; for pocket-handkerchiefs, and the bands and sleeves of underclothes. The patterns are, in general, points or scallops, enriched with eyelets or dots in rows, stars or diamonds; sprays, light wreaths, and even the elaborate work to be found at Bradbrook's, where a single garment, with an embroidered yoke, is valued at $13, are also in use. Worsted embroidery is chiefly used for flannels, sacques, and skirts, or blankets for infants. Silk is also chiefly fashionable in the wardrobes of children, their dresses, tunics, sacques, and cloaks. For older persons, it is nearly superseded by the use of broad braids, ribbons, and galoons as trimmings.

Worsted knitting is a favorite and appropriate branch of parlor industry. Opera shawls are very fashionable the present season, a plain centre, with a band of white, or some contrast on the two sides, and a border of points or scallops in the principal color. Rigolettes, or worsted caps, of every description, for evening wear, carriage boots, half handkerchiefs or spencers, to be worn beneath cloaks and shawls, infants' shirts, socks, sacques, and aprons, are included in the ample list. For many of these, directions will be found in the "Lady's Book" from month to month, and novelties are always in preparation for our centre-table circle. Crochet and ornamental netting, slippers, chairs, and ottomans of worsted work, are still in vogue.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

"Miss J. H."—The yarn required is called Saxony, and comes numbered. For infants' shirts, 60 is the best; that is, if you knit closely, and use moderately sized bone or wooden needles; they stretch very much in washing. "Split zephyr" will not wash as well, although it may look whiter and softer at first. They can also be made, if more easily procured, from any fine domestic worsted or yarn, such as used to be saved in New England for "best stockings." To wash an infant's knit shirt or robin requires peculiar care.

Dip it in hot soapsuds, as hot as the hand can bear, and squeeze it out repeatedly. Rinse in clear water of the same temperature. Then iron or press it; but, when nearly dry, pull it into the required shape, taking great care to stretch it down, not crosswise, or it will shrink in length so as to be useless. It will thus look like new again.

"Mrs. S. Lawton."—It is best, in teaching a servant to wait, to have her take all the silver first upon a tray of convenient size. It saves from jar and breakage, and scratches the silver less. For instance, in removing soup, she should take the spoon of each person from the right, and then the plates can be piled smoothly and quickly upon the tray in her second round. So of the knives and forks in the second remove. The tray should then be cleared for the reception of the castors, salts, etc., which should at once be set in the china closet, if convenient, as it is useless trouble and exposure to breakage to have them placed upon the side-table, in the midst of china and glass that has been used.

"Annie."—It is best to have the magazines bound at once; they are apt to get loaned and spoiled, besides giving trouble in assorting, if kept over a year. It is safest to file any magazine or paper intended for binding, just as soon as every one has read it. The volumes can be done neatly for about seventy-five cents apiece.

"A Young Contributor" should bear in mind the oft-repeated rule that manuscripts are to be written only on one side of the leaf. In all conversations, the remark of each person must have separate and distinct quotation marks, and, in general, form a separate paragraph. By attending to a few simple rules, she will be much more likely to find favor in the sight of editors, who are accustomed to judge of the merit of an article by the very style of a manuscript, the unpractised writer betraying him or herself in minor points on the very first page.

"A Sufferer" should keep a list of all her books and magazines. It is never well to trust too much to the honesty of acquaintances in the matter of books and umbrellas. A bachelor friend of ours invariably inscribed his name in full on the margin of some central chapter, with this Scriptural hint below: "The wicked borroweth and payeth not again."

"Mrs. S." will receive her box in good season. The mitts were very hard to find, as they are quite out of date, except for very old ladies.

"Mrs. T. M."—The shoes were noticed a year or more ago; they are black silk, quilted in diamonds, the sole also lined with cotton wadding. For invalids or old persons, they are the best shoes we know.

"Miss Eliza G.," of Macon.—The music is selected, and waits the promised opportunity.

Fashions.

NOTICE TO LADY SUBSCRIBERS.

Having had frequent applications for the purchase of jewelry, millinery, etc., by ladies living at a distance, the Editress of the Fashion Department will hereafter execute commissions for any who may desire it, with the charge of a small percentage for the time and research required. Bridal wardrobes, spring and autumn bonnets, dresses, jewelry, bridal cards, cake-boxes, envelopes, etc. etc., will be chosen with a view to economy, as well as taste; and boxes or packages forwarded by express to any part of the country. For the last, distinct directions must be given.

Orders, accompanied by checks for the proposed expenditure, to be addressed to the care of L. A. Godey, Esq., who will be responsible for the amount, and the early execution of commissions.

No order will be attended to unless the money is first received.

Instructions to be as minute as is possible, accompanied by a note of the height, complexion, and general style of the person, on which much depends in choice. Dress goods from Levy's or Stewart's, bonnets from Miss Wharton's, jewelry from Bailey's, Warden's, Philadelphia, or Tiffany's, New York, if requested.

DESCRIPTION OF STEEL FASHION PLATE FOR JANUARY.

Fig. 1st.—Dinner and carriage-dress, the skirt a light taffeta silk, with nine narrow flounces, pinked on the edge. Body of a basque pattern, in royal purple velvet, trimmed with a fall of black lace. Scarf of India pattern, in bright colors. White uncut velvet bonnet, with fall and strings of embroidered ribbon. Small winter sun-shade, of pale dove-colored silk. A carriage-cloak is thrown over the whole figure in the open air.

Fig. 2d.—Dress for receiving New Year's calls. A white grounded silk, the skirt elegantly woven with a pattern of full-blown roses and foliage in blue. Plain white body and sleeves, finished with broad bands of blue embossed velvet. Pearl ornaments. The hair slightly puffed, and dressed with lappets of blue and gold ribbon, intermingled with golden leaves.

CHITCHAT UPON JANUARY FASHIONS.

We are constantly inquired of if there are no new styles for dressing the hair, and, in response, give wood-cuts that have recently made their appearance in the fashionable world abroad. They are very elaborate, perhaps too much so for ordinary everyday use, where plain bands and twists are still in vogue. For parties, however, we give No. 1.

No. 1.