Notes and Gleanings, 



249 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS FROM FOREIGN EXCHANGES. 



The Decoration of Drawing-Rooms and Dinner-Tables with 

 Flowers. — The illustration represents a stand prettily arranged with flowers 

 and fern fronds for the stem of the stand. A climber should be used and twined 

 artistically around it. Japanese honeysuckle will be found suitable for the pur- 

 pose, also small ivy, ?,nd such a climbing fern as Lygodiufii scandens. The 

 custom of arranging fruit with the flowers does not seem so prevalent now as 

 some little time back, when bunches of grapes were employed to hang over 



Flower Stand. 



among the fern fronds. The fruit seemed to change the whole appearance into 

 a heavy-looking object. In dressing a stand, the pretty Adiantum, or Maiden- 

 hair fern, as it is commonly called, should be introduced among the bright colors 

 of the flowers ; but it should not be put in until it is really requisite to complete 

 the decoration, as it fades sooner than the flowers. There are some pretty glass 

 stands, with reflecting glasses at the base, on which may be placed a few water- 

 lily flowers and leaves. This is refreshing and pretty. It has also some small 



