HANGING BASKETS. 163 



with raised edges and painted green, the breadth vary- 

 ing with the circumference. The frame gives the florist 

 at once the desired form, and makes it easy work for any 

 person of taste to arrange flowers in the shape of an 

 anchor, star, <fcc., &c. The frame is filled with damp 

 moss, wound slightly to keep it in place, and the flowers, 

 stemmed on short twigs, are inserted in the moss. Tin-, 

 fortunately in many respects frames are objectionably 

 clumsy. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 



HANGING BASKETS. 



It is only of late years that the taste for hanging bask- 

 ets has become so universal, possibly induced by the 

 beautiful specimens of this kind exhibited in such variety 

 and profusion at the Crystal Palace, of London, a dozen 

 years ago. The taste has extended to every town and 

 hamlet throughout the land. The baskets are made either 

 of wire -work, earthenware, or of rough and gnarled roots 

 or limbs, to form " rustic " work. The wire and rustic 

 baskets are the kinds in most general use. 



Only certain kinds of plants are suitable for hanging 

 baskets ; such as are of low, compact growth, to cover the 

 surface, and such as are of drooping or trailing habit, to 

 hang over the sides. For a basket of one foot in diameter 

 we name the following as suitable : 



Coleus Verschaffeltii, a well-known bronze-foliaged plant. 



Centaurea Candida, a plant with white, downy leaves, 

 of compact growth. 



Geranium, Tom Thumb, scarlet, dwarf and compact, 

 blooming all summer. 



