THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 239 



particular colour is in favour, it may be used moderately if there ia 

 a corresponding amount of green used with it. Of course, when 

 they are to be inspected by daylight a greater number of colours 

 may be used, and many of the beautiful-leaved plants will be seen 

 to advantage ; but except the most showy caladiums, these should 

 be avoided by gaslight, and the principal aim should be to make 

 the whole arrangement wear as light and graceful au appearance as 

 possible. This is easily effected by the free use of the lycopodiums, 

 and some of the more pendulous fronds of ferns ; and by all means 

 avoid the crowding of the flowers, for I have sometimes seen these 

 articles so crowded, that the beauty of more than half of the flowers 

 was lost, besides making the whole thing look clumsy. 



As a last word, let me say, avoid that stiff", formal character in 

 the arrangement of your flowers which is now so general ; use 

 freely, but with judgment, sprigs of myrtle, fern, or some other 

 small green-leaved plant, so as to break up the surface into dis- 

 tinctive features and colours ; and if they are to be used by gaslight, 

 bring most of the principal colours you intend to use before the 

 candle the night before, so that you may be able to judge how they 

 will look when finally arranged. 



NEWLY-PUECHASED PLANTS. 



|HY do plants die soon after people get them ? Obviously, 

 in the majority of cases, because when they get them 

 they know not how to treat them. Every case has its 

 own features, and therefore to generalize is not easy. 

 But one generalization may be hazarded, and that is, 

 that plants ordered from nurseries usually have to endure a colder 

 atmosphere than they have been used to. At the nurseries they 

 cut plants so hard, and push them on so fast in stove-heat, that 

 some preparation is needed to adapt them to the new circumstances 

 in which they are to be placed. Suppose a nice little lot of ferns, 

 semi-stove plants, such as caladiums, begonias, cannas, etc., just 

 unpacked from a hamper ; they are taken at once to the greenhouse, 

 and next day they droop a little. Of course they get a dose of 

 water, and that makes them droop more. Perhaps they get a little 

 more water, and that — IciUs them ! How is it ? The fact is, they 

 came from a warm, moist, close atmosphere ; they are now in a cold 

 atmosphere, and have more sun than they can bear. The first 

 drooping is a sign of distress, and water adds to that distress by 

 giving them an extra chill ; and it is a violation of a golden precept, 

 " Plants should never have more water than they can appropriate." 

 When new plants arrive, unpack them at once, and put them in 

 some odd place about the house, such as a dark corner of a spare 

 room, in a warm frame with a mat over the lights, or under the 

 stage of a warm greenhouse. There leave them till they really 

 want water, then give them a little, and after two or three days 

 take them from the hybernatory in the afternoon, and put them on 



Angust. 



