4S8 



JOUBNAL OF HOHTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



I December 5, 18SS. 



I have been supposing that a shallow bowl has been operated 

 on, and that it is to be elevated more or less on some stand 

 or frame which forms part of the feature, and that it is not 

 destined to be hidden, although an intermixture of foliage with 

 its parts may bs advifable. Assuming the stems or supports 

 of the stand or frame to be glass, china, or white metal, a twist 

 round with some small-leaved creeper will improve the general 

 effect. Sprige for this purpose are perhaps one of the most 

 scarce objects in the whole list of wants, as by far the greater 

 number of creepers have too large a foliage, or sprigs with 

 small leaves are so thinly scattered over the branch as to faU 

 short of the requirements of the case ; and it is not advisable 

 to unite twigs of other things if it can be avoided, as it is not 

 easy to conceal the junction. In some cases the smaller-leaved 

 Vinca has been used with advantage, or some of the greenhouse 

 Kennedyas, and in cases of necessity a plant not of a twining 

 habit, Tradescantia bicolor, may be employed. There are 

 many plants that look worse than the common Ivy when the 

 leaves are small and numerous, and we have often enough cut 

 twigs from an out-door Passion-FIower that had been hanging 

 loose ; and its foliage, not being in contact with anything else, 

 was stiff, and presented a more natural appearance than it is 

 possible to give to foUage that has been entangled. Sometimes 

 a few branches of Ice-plant are united for the purpose referred 

 to, but they look better when employed for the decoration of 

 the fruit-dishes. The materials for partially clothing the stems 

 of such stands will suggest themselves to the operator in many 

 ways ; but in most cases I would adrise him to arrange them 

 as much as possible in the position in which they have been 

 growing, and the leas distortion in foliage by their being re- 

 versed the better. This, however, is not easily done with any 

 branches but those which either grow or hang free of all others, 

 or of anything else fettering their growth or confining it to a 

 certain direction. 



Stands of the above description also sometimes require a 

 sort of bottom or mat, which forms an important feature to 

 the whole, the white tablecloth setting oS to every advantage 

 whatever foliage may be placed in contact with it. A very 

 good mat for such a purpose may be made by sewing a number 

 of carefully selected Portugal Laurel leaves on paper, with their 

 points all outwards in a circular or star-shaped mauner, taking 

 care to have the leaves flat ; these look very well in this way. 

 Other foliage may also be made to perform the same office. 

 One of the very prettiest materials is the tip ends of branches 

 of fiue-leaved Pinuses, as the Weymouth Pine, or Pinus ex- 

 oelsa. Laid carefiiUy around a circle, and spread neatly and 

 not too closely together, they have a very gracefid and neat 

 appearance. The sturdy -leaved I'inuses do not answer so well, 

 but I have for a change used small sprigs of common Yew or 

 of Ai'bor Vitas ; while, perhaps there is nothing in the whole 

 round of foliage that looks better than the extremities of the 

 fronds of the most common of all Ferns, the common Brake. 

 Male Fern, and Pol,\-podium. Materials for this purpose are, 

 however, more plentiful than creepers for the stem, and the 

 above examples are merely given to show what is likely to suit 

 the object in view. 



Another, and in some respects a more creditable, class of 

 table ornaments are well-grown plants of the proper size. The 

 prepai-ation of plants for table decoration has become one of 

 the requirements of the day, and as the art is yet in its infancy 

 it is Ukely that many plants not yet tried may be found usefiil 

 for the purpose, or those who have tried them may not have 

 made their experience sufficiently known. The conditions 

 under which such plants are employed preclude the use of 

 many of the most showy ones, nevertheless much may be done 

 to modify and accommodate a large number to the pm'pose. 

 One of the principal difficulties to be surmounted is to select 

 a class of plants that will attain a respectable size in a small 

 pot, as there is genei'ally a dislike to seeing a large pot on the 

 table ; uniformity of growth is also requisite, all sides being 

 expected to look well. The foliage, too, should, if possible, 

 droop over, so as to hide the pot a little, although the latter, I 

 expect, is concealed in some of the fancy coverings now so 

 plentiful, or by a vessel on the table to receive it. Whether or 

 no this be the case, it is desirable that the foliage hang over a 

 little ; a scanty upright growth, like that of the Hyacinth, 

 AmaryUis, &c., looks poor. Perhaps of the most ornamental 

 plants for this purpose are the Adiantums of the Maiden- 

 hair class, and many other Ferns, of which Lomaria gibba 

 is a very good type. Plants of a symmetrical habit with 

 plentiful foliage are the best for this work, and the same re- 

 . auircmeats seem to be equally essential in flowering-plants as 



in those whose beauty is derived from their foliage. Another 

 point must be considered well, and that is the class of plants 

 that look weU in the artificial light that is generaUy used where 

 dinner-table ornamentation is wanted. Yellow flowers, as a 

 general rule, do not look well ; while, on the contrary, those 

 which are scarlet, rose, mauve, and purple having a strong 

 crimson tint, do. Blue is not showy under such circum- 

 stances, but a clear white is good when surrounded by a good 

 healthy mass of green ; and imder the same circumstances the 

 yellow of a Cytisus looks tolerably well, and as a change may- 

 come in useful. In general flowers having a circular outline 

 look best at night. Whether there be any affinity between 

 star-shaped plants and the celestial hghts it is needless here 

 to inquire, but blooms of that outline, such as Cinerarias and 

 Chinese Primulas, are as good as anything I know of, and the 

 neai-er their flowers ai'e to a good crimson or rose colour the 

 prettier they look, although light-coloured ones are by no 

 means ineligible; and the habit and general features of the 

 plants in other respects fit them for occupying the foremost 

 ranks among flowering i)lants. 



Another class of plants adapted for table ornament consists 

 of those ornamental by their fruit ; this class, though not a 

 numerous one, is increasing, and may eventually become the 

 most popular. It has the merit of being the first that was 

 used for dinner-table decoration. A pot of Grapes placed on 

 the table is by no means uninteresting, especially if the fruit 

 be good. Strawberries in Uke manner are in request at the 

 right season, and good pots of them excel any fruiting plants 

 with which I am acquainted. There are, however, many plants 

 gro-mi expressly for the beauty of their berries, and most of these 

 may be turned to account in dinner-table decoration. I expect 

 that in time their number will be increased, and probably some 

 of the Japanese Aucubas may be induced to furnish berries ou 

 plants sufficiently smaU to suit the purpose. 



A short list of the fruit-bearing and other plants which have 

 been used for dinner-table ornamentation Vfill, perhaps, enable 

 the reader to suggest additions, which no one wUl be more 

 glad than myself to see recorded in The Jouknai, of Homi- 



CCLTUBE. 



Skimmia japonica. — Healthy plants look well when the 

 foliage is ample and good. 



Ardisia crcmdata. — The upright habit of this plant is some- 

 what against it, nevertheless the fine colour of its berries, and 

 their long continuance in perfection entitle it to a place. 



Sulamini capsicdstrum. — This is indispensable, and a taller 

 species with berries of a similar size is also good ; the varie- 

 gated form is no imiirovement for table decoration. 



Strawberries. — No comment is required on these, as, for the 

 end in view, they come nearer perfection, when well managed, 

 than any other plant. 



(impes. — The size of the pot and bulk of the plant is an 

 objection. Sometimes, however, two plants imited together, SO 

 as to form an arch, look well. 



Orantjes. — There are two or three kinds, as the Otaheite, 

 Mandarin, and Tangierine, which bear well in a small state, 

 and the variegated forms are also available, but do not fruit so 

 well as the plain-leaved plants. 



Capsicums. — Some fancy varieties of these look well ; a jellow- 

 berried one is ornamental at all times. — J. Eobson. 

 (To be corotinued.) 



CULTURE OF THE CHRYSANTHEMUM. 



I SEND you my practice in cultivating the Shrysanthemum. 

 I find, on looking over my doings of the garden (and, by the 

 way, i may say that every gardener ought to keep a journal of 

 garden work, it is so useful for refening to aid comparing the' 

 eft'ects of seasons), that I potted the cuttings on January lOth, 

 and on March 14th repotted them into 36-siz-8d pots, one in 

 each pot, and placed them in a cold fi-ame tiU April 26th, whett 

 I tm-ntd them out of doors, along, with bedding plants, where 

 a little protection might be given in ease of frost. 



On tile 2i;th of May I gave the^i their final shift into their 

 blooming, pots, from 8'to 13 inches in diameter, and plunged 

 them in the kitchen garden in a slot of ground set apart for 

 them, aad which was situated between two rows of Peas, so as 

 to aSord shelter. Tha- plunging 1 consider a very important 

 point is their culture. I plunge tliem to the rim of the pot, 

 the rim resting on ihi surface of the ground and bearing the 

 weight 9f the pot and Sta contents, lor the hole is-made 3 inches 

 deeper Siiaa the pot,, so as to psioiii of the asaape of water 



