I^lotfers for Ornament and jDecoration. 109 



them according to colors and forms, and apportion the green to each set. Damp 

 moss and lycopodium will be needed, if the flowers are exported to keep fresh any 

 length of time. To begin, take some handsome spike of florets having a long, strong 

 stalk, with two or three slender spires of green (these also having long, strong stems) ; 

 tie a cord by one end around them and bind them together for half an inch. Then 

 arrange small groups of larger blossoms around these, just far enough below to show 

 the first set handsomely, and wind the cord as before, and so proceed till the bouquet 

 is of proper size. A few racemes or pendant flowers should be among the last set, 

 which should be composed of panicles of fine florets, and then a fringe of drooping 

 green, or a border of handsome leaves — myrtle, orange, camellia, or kalniia. Leave 

 two or three inches of the bare stems, and wrap around them a strip of wet cotton 

 batting; then cover this with a piece of tinfoil, and tie around about half way to the 

 border, a neat bow of white ribbon. This is the most usual form of hand-bouquet ; 

 but a very pretty style is made by taking one beautiful flower for the center, sur- 

 rounding this with contrasting florets ; then larger flowers alternating with spikes 

 and panicles of smaller; then a fringe of very fine and delicate florescence, a hand- 

 some border of foliage finishing the collection ; very little green — and that of the 

 most delicate sorts — projecting at rare intervals among the flowers. For this a stout 

 stick is needed, upon ani] around which the flowers and foliage are bound, as in mak- 

 ing the preceding bou(:[uet. These are the popular methods of arranging flowers to 

 be carried in the hand both as an ornament and a source of pleasure. But a few 

 lilies of the valley with their own elegant leaves ; a half-blown rose and buds ; mignon- 

 ette and sweet peas ; or geranium leaves and carnations, afi"ord more satisfaction, 

 generally ; are more efi'ective in their simplicity, and can be disposed of more readily 

 and gracefully as a personal decoration, at the belt or at the neck-tie, than those 

 more elaborate collections, which often require some strength to carry in an upright 

 position, and when not held thus must dangle heavily from the arms, or necessitate 

 the services of an attendant. Button-hole bouquets and nosegays for tiny individual 

 vases, at the dinner-table, should consist of only one handsome specimen of some ele- 

 gant flower of small size, with its buds, or two or three slender spikelets of florets in 

 a contrasting tint, and a little delicate verdure — all of the choicest sorts tied loosely 

 with a bit of narrow ribbon. A little wet cotton should be wrapped about the base 

 of the stems of a button-hole bouquet ; or it should be inserted in the small tubes 

 holding water, which are now made to attach to the button-hole ; the small phials 

 used for homoeopathic medicine serve very well for this purpose, and can be fastened 

 by a loop just inside the button-hole. Small bunches of flowers for looping or festoon- 

 ing the skirt of a lady's dress, should be of the same description as those used for 

 button-hole bouquets. A half open rose with buds ; a tuberose with bouvardia ; a fuchsia 

 and stevia ; a carnation and heath ; lilies of the valley and forget-me-not ; violets 

 and myrtle ; sweet peas and mignonette ; azalea and heliotrope, with geranium leaves, 

 aloysia, or myrtle for verdure, are always elegant. 



When decorations for the hair are wanted, drooping racemes, delicate flowering 

 vines (or of verdure only) and pendant blossoms, with a few of erect clustered growth 

 should be chosen. Of these, the most effective is smilax — Myrsiphyllum aspara- 

 goides — with glossy light green leaves that retain their freshness in the dryest atmos- 



