SIMPLICITY IN TABLE DECORATION. 



handy cases containing- 35 to 40 lbs. of fruit 

 are what every dealer wants. Twenty people 

 can afford to buy a small package to the one 

 who can afford to purchase a barrel, and as 

 the majority of the packages are barrels, the 

 one buyer has the advantag^e over the twenty, 

 and the competition beings so much reduced 

 the man who can buy and pay for the barrel 

 practically controls the whole market. As 



far as I can see, the shipper who uses small 

 neat attractive packages, and packs only 

 first-class fruit into them, cannot fail to 

 come out ahead. As I do not wish to en- 

 croach too much on your valuable space at 

 present, with your permission I will follow 

 up this subject a little further in your next 

 issue. I am, Sir, yours truly, 



London, Ont. . Wm. Wilson. 



Simplicity in Table Decorations. — El- 

 aborate and expensive floral centrepieces are 

 not necessarily the most beautiful. Simpli- 

 city often rules the worlds of art and nature. 

 Who would consider as beautiful, at first 

 thought, a few sprays of the leafy growth 

 of the garden asparagus together in a small 

 vase with a like number of golden coreop- 

 sis ? The effect is charming if the vase also 

 be simple. This should be remembered, 

 that a vase of flowers is intended to display 

 the beauty of the flowers and not man's 

 handiwork in molding or coloring the 

 vase. 



The umbels of white flowers of the wild 

 carrot are very pretty in vase decorations, 

 yet how few persons would think of gather- 

 ing them for that purpose ! 



While it is a benefaction to man to have 

 at command, for use and proper enjoyment, 

 all the beautiful things possible, it is fool- 



ishness to trample aside a host of pleasing 

 things, merely to strive for the elusive and 

 unattainable or imaginary beauties. The 

 writer does not lack praise for rare beau- 

 ties, but rather deplores the tendency to 

 look over and beyond Nature's abundance 

 in the fields and along waysides. 



Did you never pull a flower of the wild 

 carrot ? The tenacious fibre of the stem 

 requires a pull. Never smell of its peculiar 

 fragrance — if fragrance it may be termed ? 

 Note the odd, concave form of the umbel, — 

 like a good-sized butter-plate. 



There is much in Nature for us to learn 

 and appreciate, and in our observations we 

 come to know her better, we learn to love 

 her, and that feeling will embrace our fel- 

 low-men. Let us, then, bring her simplest 

 charms to our hearts and homes, without 

 fear of missing something more rare and 

 more beautiful beyond. — Meehari's Monthly. 



Fig. 2204. The Fruit Exhibit at the Cobourg Meeting, which included a Collection of 



Apples Gathered in 1900, and Preserved in Cold Storage 



in Excellent Condition. 



