THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



ilS. 



can be used in place of green. The 

 plants should be knocked out of the 

 pots and placed in other receptacles; 

 if the latter are too small or shallow 

 to receive the plants, the balls can be 

 reduced or cut to fit. 



A Centrepiece of Fruit and Flowers 



If no receptacles are on hand,the^plant 

 can be placed on pieces of paper or other 

 material to save the cloth. Mounds of 

 moss can be made around the ball of 

 earth and covered with fern, asparagus, 

 smilax or other green; and flowers 

 of one kind and color placed on the 

 mounds. 



SOME FLOWER COMBINATIONS 



But orchids, such as cattleyas in 

 variety, cypripediums, Iselias, oncidiums, 

 odontoglossums, coelogyne, calanthes, 

 and so on, make rich and beautiful dec- 

 orations for the table . Each kind should 

 be used separately and arranged so that 

 every individual bloom will not look 

 crowded and will show to best advan- 

 tage. 



Calanthes Veitchii and hly of the val- 

 ley, with fern fronds, make a beautiful 

 combination. Small chrysanthemums 

 in their season are much used and are 

 very attractive. Lily of the valley and 

 Richmond, Meteor or General Jacque- 

 minot roses, Roman hyacinths and 

 Salvia splendens make rich and very at- 

 tractive arrangements. Sweet peas are 

 among the best flowers for table work, 

 when properly blended. Sweet peas and 

 Oypsophila paniculata and fine fern 

 fronds create a grand effect, especially 

 under artificial light. 



Roses are most generally used and 

 they arc the most popular; in my esti- 

 mation, the rose is queen, no matter where 

 or how employed. When roses are used 

 for table work they should be arranged 

 with their own foliage and, generally, 

 one variety or color employed. Carna- 

 tions are very suitable among the best 

 for table or other decoration, and should 



be arranged in one or possibly two colors 

 The most important point is to see that 

 the color of the flowers used harmonizes 

 as nearly as possible with the dishes or 

 other ornaments on the table. Primula 

 obconica, P. chinensis, P. stellata, the 

 many varieties of narcissus, freesias, 

 tulips, poppies, coreopsis, godetia, Heli- 

 anthus cucumerifolia and multiflora fl. 

 pi., and many other kinds of flowers, are 

 all very useful for table work. 



THE USE OF FRUIT 



Fruit is used very often as a part of 

 table decorations, and if possible should 

 be displayed on glass dishes, as glass 

 seems to show off fruit better than 

 dishes made of other material. Fruit, 

 as a rule, looks best dressed with its own 

 foHage; but when dishes have to be 

 dressed several hours ahead of time, as 

 necessity very often requires, the leaves 

 generally curl and lose their shape. In 

 this case it would be preferable to em- 

 ploy leaves of a thicker texture, such as 

 those of ivy, laurel, aucuba, bay, and 

 so on, as they will keep longer out of 

 water. 



Pineapples should be dressed with 

 their own foliage. Maidenhair fern can 

 be used with strawberries and kept fresh 

 by utilizing small glass tubes filled with 

 water inserted among the fruit. Straw- 

 berry plants that have good large ripe 



well-arranged centrepiece, and to make 

 every ornament upon the table (whether 

 floral or otherwise) subordinate to the 

 centre one. If the table should be so 

 long as to require three principal pieces,, 

 it would be best to use two elegant plants 

 with graceful and finely divided fohage, 

 one at each end ; they will set off 

 the central floral arrangement much 

 better than two other floral pieces- 

 would. 



It is essential that everything on the 

 table should harmonize so that it will 

 please the most critical); eye. Strong 

 color contrasts must alwavs be avoided. 



Troxible WitK Azalea 



About Christmas last year I purchased a fine 

 plant of azalea. After a short time all the leaves, 

 fell off; what, probably, caused it? — K. S., 

 Toronto. 



This plant most likely has-been allow- 

 ed to become dry at the root. This, with 

 the dry air of ordinary dwelling houses, 

 spoils these plants. When they have 

 dropped their leaves they are of little 

 use. An azalea in full bloom, that is to 

 be used as a house plant, should be- 

 thoroughly watered when received and 

 should be kept well watered and in a 

 cool, light place, where the air is as fresh 

 as possible. — Answered by Thos. Man- 

 ton, Eglinton, Ont. 



An Artistic Scheme of Table Decoration 



fruits hanging, make a very effective 

 centrepiece for the dinner table. The 

 plants can be turned out of the pots and 

 the balls cut down so that several plants 

 can be arranged in one dish. 

 CENTREPIECES 

 I' or a table set for not over 16 persons, 

 it is advisable to have only one large 



I have been a subscriber of The Horti- 

 culturist since 1890, and hope to be 

 for a great many years to come. Your 

 magazine has given me much pleasure. 

 I have recently acquired all the back 

 volumes, except two, which, as yet.gjl 

 have been unable to secure. — Chas. R.. 

 Hext, rsrantford, Ont. 



