394 PRACTICAL FLORICULTURE. 



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, &c., &c. The frame is filled with damp 

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

 stemmed on short twigs, are inserted in the moss. 



CHAPTER XXVII. 



WIRE DESIGNS FOR CUT FLOWERS. 



Florists who have not yet made use of wire frames for 

 designs of flowers, will be surprised at the facilities they 

 afford in constructing such decorations. They are now 

 used exclusively in New York for such work, the low 



Fig. 58. WBEATH. Fig. 5a CBOWN. Fig. 60. STAB. 



rates at which they are sold saving more than the cost of 

 the labor of making them by the old methods, besides 

 giving correct shape to the different designs. By having 

 an assortment of these frames on hand, a dealer can sup- 

 ply an order in a surprisingly short time. The manner 

 of filling the frames is described in the preceding chapter. 

 It is a very common practice to cover the edges of the 

 frame, and even the whole surface with tinfoil ; the flow- 



