CHILDREN'S FLOWER SHOWS 181 



lightness of arrangement are essential for this 

 scheme. One of those glass blocks with holes 

 pierced, sold by all china dealers and most florists, 

 is very helpful, in fact a necessity, when arranging 

 a bowl. Table-centres of silk or muslin are quite 

 out of date and should never be used. Many rustic 

 stands are used at shows and are certainly very 

 helpful and rather suitable for wild flowers, but 

 I do not recommend them, they so soon tarnish, 

 and unless frequently silvered their dirty appearance 

 is fatal, or should be, to a judge. Moreover in one's 

 own home they hold too little water to be generally 

 useful. 



Wild flowers should be gathered with dew upon 

 them, placed in large bowls, &c., and allowed a 

 free supply of water for a few hours before being 

 used for decorating. 



Poppies should be cut whilst in the bud and 

 allowed to develop in water. If this is impossible 

 their stalk-ends must be burnt mere singeing is not 

 sufficient or in a few hours' time their heads droop 

 and all their graceful curves are lost. 



In arranging a vase of Wild Flowers one needs 

 a firm base to commence with. It is well to place 

 first the greenery, choosing that natural to the 

 flowers if possible, or at any rate of the same tone, 



