THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 105 



fall to pieces. Having secured a wooden box of suitable size, it will 

 be advisable to cut a few narrow laths to fit inside, and then proceed 

 to fit it. Tou are not tied down to one particular mode of proce- 

 dure, but will do well to take your first lesson in this wise : On the 

 bottom of the box put a layer of fresh ivy or privet leaves, and then 

 a layer of flowers, which are to be covered with leaves very lightly. 

 Now put one or two of tlie laths across to fix them firmly without 

 pressure, and fix the laths in their places by means of brads driven 

 from the outside. Proceed in this way until the box is filled, taking 

 care, of course, to finish up ■with a layer of leaves on the top. When 

 this package is nailed down, it may be tossed and kicked about in 

 any way for days together, and the flowers will come out almost as- 

 fresh as they went in. If a tin box is selected, a slight wooden 

 cage should be made to fit it, and the flowers should be tied to the 

 cage, and be lightly bedded with leaves. If the weather be hot, and 

 the journey long, tie the flowers in bunches with fresh moss round 

 the stems, and dip the cage and the flowers into water, and then, 

 pack with moss or leaves, and despatch as soon as possible. It is- 

 better, however, to be content with the natural mcisture of moss or 

 leaves, than to resort to the use of water, for wet flowers long con- 

 fined are almost sure to be more or less injured by decay of the 

 outer petals. Tin-foil, and oiled paper, and gutta percha paper, 

 may be employed to advantage in packing flowers with a view to 

 arrest evaporation, but fresh moss or privet leaves will generally 

 suffice as preservatives, and will be rendered the more effectual if 

 large cabbage leaves are laid above and below the packing, so that 

 they will not come into contact with the flowers. S. H. 



FLOEAL DECOEATIONS ON A SMALL SCALE. 



BY MISS A. nASSAED, 



St, Konans, Upper Norwood. 



jANY flowers in bloom at the present season are ad- 

 mirably adapted for filling small stands or bouquets, a 

 few of which placed about a room give it a refined and 

 elegant appearance which nothing else will, I do not 

 intend to give descriptions of large arrangements, I shall 

 merely treat of a few small vases or specimen glasses, and I think I 

 cannot do better than describe a few I saw at the house of a friend,, 

 and also some I had in use myself a few days since. The two stands 

 in which my friend's flowers were arranged were to all appearance 

 those elegant little glass tazzas with a trumpet rising out of the 

 centre of each, which are so well adapted for standing on console 

 tables, etc., in the drawing-room. 



I remarked, " I see you have been investing in new stands, and a 

 very pretty little pair they are, too. AVhere did you get them ? " 



The answer was, " Well, I don't mind letting you into a secret," 

 and thereupon my friend raised one of the fern-fronds, which were 



ApriJ. 



