STAGING FLOWERS FOR EXHIBITION. 67 



to arrange the colours so that each bloom will brighten 

 and show up its neighbour. It may be useful to remem- 

 ber that colour is greatly heightened by contrast, and that 

 artists in their pictures secure the greatest brilliancy of 

 colour by the observance of this rule. The contrasting 

 colours are red and green, orange and blue, yellow and 

 purple. Place a yellow and a purple chrysanthemum side 

 by side. The longer you look at them the more yellow 

 will the yellow appear, the more purple the purple. 



Thirdly, see that the board is pretty evenly filled, so as 

 not to get 'two small flowers together, or two large ones. 

 Different exhibitors have different opinions about staging 

 their flowers. Some put all drooping flowers in the front 

 row, all the monsters at the back, and the weakest 

 flowers in the middle row, thinking, perhaps, they will 

 not be noticed so much if they are hidden a little. But 

 do not try -to deceive the judge. He is bound to find the 

 worst as well as the best flowers. 



Cutting Blooms aticl Cupping. 



Flowers are better if cut in the morning, before the 

 sun strikes them. Stems about a foot or more in length 

 should be left to them. Strip off all the leaves and put 

 the stems into bottles of water, or something that will 

 keep them upright. They may then be cupped up at your 

 leisure during the day. This should be done in a rather 

 cool, but dry, place. 



Before you commence cutting the blooms, it is as well 

 to look round and see what .blooms are ready. Dot out 

 your board on a piece of paper, with the number of 

 flowers you want, e.g., twelve dots to represent the holes. 

 At each hole put the name of the flower with which you 

 intend to fill it. This will save you cutting more blooms 

 than are actually required ; but at the same time an extra 

 bloom should always be taken with each dozen, in case of 

 an accident, and this should be different from any on the 

 board. In cupping the flowers do not press the florets 

 up to try to gain width for them, because from a show 



