CHAP, XXVIII VILLA GARDENING 505 



garnishing, and where much of it is grown for daily consumption, 

 the leaves to dish it up must be thought about and provided. For 

 dishing up Grapes nothing equals the foliage of the grape-vine. 

 The leaves of some of the late Grapes, such as West St. Peters, 

 Mrs. Pince's Muscat, Barbarossa, and Gros Colman, when ripening 

 off, assimie a lovely coloiu-, which condition is maintained for a 

 considerable time, and either black or golden Grapes look well on 

 these brilliant scarlet-veined and blotched leaves. In summer 

 tliere is usually plenty of leaves to be obtained for dishing up. 

 Besides vine-leaves, which can generally be had, there is 



The Curled Mallow, which is very pretty for dishing up all 

 kinds of fruit except Grapes. The seeds are sown in March, and 

 monthly afterwards till August. For placing round Pine-apples 

 and IMelons, sprays of the Ice Plant are effective under artificial 

 light. The seeds are sown in spring in heat, and hardened off and 

 planted out in May. It is a rapidly-growing plant when it gets 

 well started. Half a dozen clusters of plants, three in a pot, will 

 be enough for most places. 



Melville's Variegated Kale I have used for Apples and 

 Pears in winter. If well selected when transplanting, the leaves 

 are very pretty, and will be useful for a change in winter. Leaves 

 of the Abutilon Thompsonii are nice in winter. Aucuba japonica, 

 Mahonia Aquifolia, and even the leaves of the Common Bramble, 

 when growing in sheltered places under trees, are very useful. 

 Then there are Ferns and Mosses, and such creeping and hanging 

 plants as Tradescantia zebrina and vittata, and Panicum variegatum, 

 all of which may be used for garnishing if desired. As regards 



Dinner- Table Decoration, I am not going to say much, 

 though a good deal might be said without exhausting the subject. 

 Lightness and elegance, rather tlian massiveness, should be the 

 guiding princii^le all through. Small, light -foliaged, feathery 

 Palms and Aralias should be used for centres. For common use 

 Cyperus alternifoUus, C. a. variegatus, and Grevillea robusta are 

 useful, and nothing hurts them. Small but well-gi'own plants 

 of Crotons, Dracaenas, and Caladiums are bright and effective 

 under artificial light. Small plants of the Maiden-hair Fern are 

 always appreciated for a change. Neat little plants of Begonia 

 insiguis and B. fuchsioides, when nicely in flower, are useful in 

 winter. Shallow pans or boxes of Moss, when well furnished, 

 are also useful. To keep, up a constant change of plants suitable 

 for table decoration requires a good deal of thought and some 

 pains. To do it well a constant stream of young plants should be 

 coming on, and worked in pots of tlie most suitable sizes, which 

 should not exceed 5 or 6 inches in diameter. If extra lartre 



