THE CARNATION MANUAL. 101 



with its blossoms knocked about in the wind and 

 rain on a garden border. 



All handling of the petals must be with great 

 care not to split, or bruise, or nip them. 



I have seen whole stands of flowers so badly 

 mutilated that they had no chance in any keen 

 competition. 



When the dressing is completed, arrange the 

 flowers in the stands — commence with the back 

 row, and place the best flower at the left-hand 

 corner. Remember, that the best and most 

 emphatic position in a row is the left-hand corner 

 always, and the right-hand corner the place that 

 catches the eye the least ; for, as in the act of 

 reading, the eye, as it were, skips lightly from the 

 end of one line of Avords, and seeks and lights 

 strongly on the first word of a new line — so your 

 best flowers should most strongly catch the judge's 

 eye. Let your weaker ones take the forlorn hope 

 of being where the shadow of a chance lies that 

 they may get off" as easily as possible. 



The largest flowers should be in the back row, 

 falling ofl' gradually (if you cannot keep the size 

 up), placing the smallest in the front row, so that 

 the difference will not be so perceptible. There is 

 something to gain or lose in arrangement. 



