December 12, 1908 



HORTICULTURE 



773 



Table Centre Pieces of Growing Plants 



A well-dressed centrepiece is a decided addition to 

 the ornamentation of a dining room and the absence of 

 it makes a table look bare and unfurnished. 



With the pans ordinarily supplied for this purpose it 

 is difficult to fill them so that the plants will thrive for 

 an}- length of time. They are too shallow to allow the 

 use of sufficient soil to keep the plants going. 



A person purchasing one of these centrepieces gives 

 first attention to the ornamentation of the pan and if 

 this passes muster regardless of its depth, or rather, 

 lack of depth, the question of what to put in it, is dis- 

 cussed. Something very dainty of course to harmonize 

 with these or those furnishings in the room but while 

 these plants must be delicate to a superlative degree, 

 they must also be as tough as boarding-house steak. No 

 consideration is given to the fact that the rooms are 

 furnace or steam-heated, that the temperature is now 

 high and blistering, again low and chilling. This 

 should have no bearing on the case as any collection of 

 plants should be stimulated to luxuriant growth when 

 placed in one of the many artistic metal creations used 

 for centre pieces ! 



About two weeks in a house works a decided change in 

 the appearance of the plants, and a couple of weeks 

 further stay makes it look as unattractive as a chicken 

 with the "pip." Then comes the reckoning. The pan 

 is sent back to the florist with an impersonal note, 

 bristling with sarcasm, in which the capability of the 

 florist is questioned in no pleasant terms. Such things 

 are calculated to cut deep. 



It would be well to explain that to keep a centre- 

 piece looking fresh and attractive it must be renewed 

 about every week and to do this, two or three pans 

 should be filled and when not on duty should be kept 

 in the greenhouse, convalescing. This may seem like 

 an expensive proposition, but it is the only practical 

 way to get results that will keep a smile on the pur- 

 chaser's face. 



The deeper pans solve the problem but the great ob- 

 jection to them is their height. They dress better than 

 the lower ones and the plants actually grow in them, 

 once and awhile. 



Water kills more of these decorative contrivances than 

 anything else. An occasional watering is by far better 

 than a regular soaking as it keeps the plants hustling 

 for the little water they get and they forget to die in a 

 hurry. 



A few hours in the light, not in the direct sun will be 

 a help toward keeping them going. 



Clerks entrusted with the sale of these goods should 

 be competent to properly advise the purchaser as to 

 their care and what they may reasonably expect as to 

 lasting qualities. 



The earth has 'grown old with its burdens of care, 



But at Christmas it always is young; 

 The heart of the jewel burns lustrous and fair, 

 And its soul, full of music, breaks forth on the air 



When the song of the angels is sung. 



It is coming, old earth, it is coming tonight! 



On the snowflakes which cover thy sod, 

 The feet of the Christ-child fall gentle and white. 

 And the voice of the Christ-child tells out with delight 



That mankind are the children of God. 



— Phillips Brooks. 



•Tis the time of the year for the loving-cup, 

 When the holly berries shine; 



And with shout and song of man and maid, 

 The cedar and fir we twine. 



— Margaret I Sangster 



