THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 367 



needful than broad and bold effects. Half-tints, as a rule, are quite 

 washv by gaslight, though some neutrals, such as lilac, dove colour, 

 and fawn, are valuable, as they afford by gaslight various chaste 

 shades of grey, and are more pleasing than white. These colours 

 ■will generally be preferable to red, or any of the primary colours, for 

 ribbons to tie garlands, and in artificial flowers to brighten the 

 effects of the stronger colours. The two predominating colours in 

 Christmas decorations should be red and gbeen. Any and every 

 shade of the two colours can be used to advantage, but depth and 

 richness are needed to be consistent with the season. As it is well 

 to be appropriate, those who prepare artificial flowers should select 

 subjects that are in bloom at this time of year. Thus Chrysan- 

 themums and Camellias are at once easy to make, admit of great 

 variety of colour, and belong properly to the season. The Tree 

 Carnations are also in flower, and therefore the brilliant Clove may 

 be imitated. The mention of these things reminds me to say that 

 plants may now be purchased in bloom of the following kinds, all 

 adapted for embellishment : Camellias, Chrysanthemums, Tree Car- 

 nations, Chinese Primulas, Mignonette, Persian Cyclamen, snowy 

 Deutzia, Early Tulips, Poinsettia pulcherrima (a gorgeous thing with 

 large vivid scarlet floral bracts), a few Heaths, and Azaleas. The 

 garden should supply many kinds of evergieen shrubs, and an 

 abundance of berries. To name the Holly is of course proper, it is 

 the tree of greatest renown at Christmastide, but we may also make 

 use of the berries of several kinds of Thorn, Cotoneaster, and common 

 Euonynuis. From the greenhouse we may obtain a gem of priceless 

 value, the neat little Solanum capsicastrum, or its companion plant, 

 Solanum pseudo-capsicum. From the same source too we may even 

 hope for pot plants of the Aucuha Japonica with red berries on 

 them, and the stove should supply Ardisia crenulata, Eivinia humilis, 

 and the Tangerine orange. I had almost forgotten to name Skimmia 

 Japonica and Skimmia oblata, two neat dwarf rhododendron-like 

 shrubs that are smothered with scarlet berries now ; they are quite 

 hardy, and may be grown in pots expressly for Christmas decoration. 

 In cutting evergreens, it is important to bear in mind that every 

 separate kind is adapted for a separate use. Thus the common 

 Laurel, Aucuba, and Portugal Laurel are well adapted for lar°e 

 work, such as festooning the pillars in churches, or for the embellish- 

 ment of entrance-halls ; but in dining-rooms and refectories they 

 have a coarse appearance. Hollies are never coarse, and never 

 inappropriate. The neatest way to make wreaths of leaves and 

 flowers is to cut a lot of Irish ivy, and tie every leaf separately on 

 lengths of rope, and pin the flowers on after the wreaths are 

 suspended. It is astonishing how quickly a few score yards of 

 wreaths may be made by people who set about the work in earnest. 

 In gardens near town, evergreens are generally so sooty that 

 it is not a very delicate business to handle them ; but as walls 

 require to be kept clean, a little purification of the leaves should be 

 attempted, especially of such as are to be much handled, and are 

 ultimately to touch walls or curtains. Let all the stufl' be carried to 

 a dry clean shed or spare room, and there set a person to work with 



