jSyi.] PLANTS FOR TABLE DECORATION. 13 



PLANTS SUITABLE FOR TABLE DECORATIO]Sr. 



Plants and flowers have become intimately associated with our every- 

 day lives. We have recourse to them in seasons of social enjoyment 

 and in the hours of sorrow. They have long been plucked for the 

 babe, and strewn on the path of the bride and on the graves of the 

 dead. They delight the child, and raise the shout of admiration from 

 its lips. They tax the intellect of the mature and learned, and, as they 

 come and depart with the seasons, give lessons of wisdom to all. And 

 whatever may be said for or against the fashion in which the dinner- 

 tables of the affluent are now decorated with plants and flowers — to a 

 moderate extent, and tastefully associated with fruits — there cannot 

 be a question that the effects produced are exceedingly pleasing to the 

 eye, and calculated profitably to excite the mind. Be this as it may — 

 I leave that phase of the question — dinner-table decoration with plants 

 and flowers has become so widely spread and general that you will find it 

 in the metropolitan mansion, and I have met with it where not much 

 expected, in the abode of the hill-farmer ; and to the gardener it has 

 become so "great a fact," that no mean portion of his forethought and 

 time must be devoted to it; while it has diminished — considerably 

 diminished — fine art to please the eye in the kitchen ; and very much 

 eased the arms of waiters. To gardeners, this part of their duties 

 has assumed an amount of importance that some years ago could not 

 have been dreamed of. 



Fortunately the class of plants — namely, fine graceful-foliaged plants 

 — which are found so very useful and eff'ective for this order of decora- 

 tion, has very much increased of late years. Associated on table with 

 epergnes filled with flowers, they are productive of the most pleasing 

 effects, — the majority of plants which principally display beauty in 

 their blooms being less suitable, unless, indeed, they are trained into 

 forms not natural to them. This takes time and labour in tying and 

 training ; and more than likely, after being once used, their blooms are 

 so tarnished as to render the plant of no avail for the season. Besides, 

 persistent-leaved and some berried plants of graceful habits, are, as a 

 rule, more effective when set down on a white ground, and associated 

 with so many things that glitter and shine, and especially when cut 

 flowers are included in the designs. 



It may not be too much to say that the choice of plants often made 

 is not what it might be, with more pleasure and profit to all concerned. 

 Fortunately many of the most suitable plants for this purpose are in a 

 general way easily grown, and not very easily injured by the exposure 

 to which they are subject. There are, however, some points of import- 

 ance in growing plants for this as well as for all special purposes, the 

 aim in this case being to produce plants of some considerable size — hav- 



