216 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



may be \yell to reiiiembor their religious significance. The lily symbolizes the 

 Virgin Mary, humility, purity; the rose, the Savior; laurel, victory, constancy, 

 glory; the pansy, charity; the violet, modesty; snowdrops and marigolds, 

 virgin purity and truth ; the ivy, immortality. 



to 



FLOWERS IX THE HOME. 



These may be grouped under three heads — growing, cut and preserved. Pot 

 plants have the advantage of permanency over cut flowers. In their successful 

 cultivation four things should be observed : that they have sufliciency of water, 

 light, fresh air and frequent baths. In all cases the common earthen pots 

 should be encased in larger ones of china, ornamented lattice-work, or paper 

 covers tastefully decorated. These may be placed in windows, or on brackets 

 — in the latter case if possible, vines should droop gracefully from the pots. 

 Hanging baskets, if made of wire (which should be painted dark green, and 

 never a bright color), are beautiful window ornaments. A window box made 

 of wood, lined with zinc, suspended by four cords, up which creepers should 

 be trained, will admit of a good variety of plants and vines. Wire stands, 

 sometimes arranged in tiers for the better accommodation and display of 

 plants, will be found very useful for windows. In these let the plants be well 

 grouped, the larger or ])older ones in the center, soft-wooded ones as near the 

 window as possible — hard leaved plants, as palms and ivy, grow in any part of 

 a well-lighted room. Do not train beautiful trailing vines over stiff, ugly lad- 

 ders, but luive them droop gracefully from basket or bracket. Ivy grows in 

 the shade and may be trained around doors, over couches or picture-frames. 

 In the latter case, plant it in a wedge-shaped zinc which may be fastened be- 

 hind the picture, the vine only visible. 



Cut Flowers. — These should be severed with a sharp knife, never with scis- 

 sors, nor pinched off — since in the latter cases the compression of the stem 

 will retard the absorption of the needed moisture. Artificial stems for flowers 

 like the camellia, may be made by piercing them with three or four small 

 wires just below the center and carefully twisting the wires together. Out 

 flowers can also be saved from prematurely falling to pieces by inserting a drop 

 of gum in the center. Side-boards, tables, mantels, etc., afford excellent 

 places for the display of cut flowers. If the former has a mirror, a basket or 

 bouquets, or an arch may be made to show to fine advantage. Tables, whether 

 center-tables, or dining tables — and too few ladies seem to realize how much 

 more inviting the latter are if adorned with flowers — may be ornamented with 

 baskets, either of glass or wicker-work — the handles always to be covered with 

 some delicate vine. Vases for bouquets should be of some delicate tint — never 

 of a dense color. Select those which are wide at the top — trumpet-shaped arc 

 the best as most graceful, and permitting the arrangement of drooping vines. 

 On a table there may be a glass dish filled with flowers ; and a pyramid built 

 up of dishes and vases, makes one of the most beautiful of center pieces. The 

 mantel, especially if it has a mirror at its back, affords a fine opportunity for 

 floral display — a basket or vase in the center or perhaps shallow troughs made 

 of zinc, filled with flowers and drooping vines at either end. 



Under the mantel is a place where, in room of a cheap, — perhaps gaudy 

 screen, — an ivy may be trained over a wire network fastened to a box lined 

 with zinc, and either painted some delicate color or ornamented with colored 

 tiles. 



