STAGING FLOWERS FOR EXHIBITION. 69 



Chrysanthemums in Vaaes* 



The exhibition of large Japanese and Incurved chrysan- 

 themums in vases has become very popular with 'many 

 societies for staging- their flowers. It may be an improve- 

 ment when the blooms are properly arranged with vessels 

 proportionate in size to the flowers, and plenty of foliage 

 drooping quite down to or below the top of the vase. But 

 taste and judgment are necessary. To .see three or more 

 large flowers stuck into a small vase, and, perhaps, stood 

 upon lattice-work stages, or, maybe, the flowers so 

 crushed together that they do not show to advantage, 

 is not the way to display the blooms ; on the contrary, the 

 use of boards would be a better way of exhibiting them. 



In arranging chrysanthemums in large vases one must 

 bear in mind that if it should be a show of more than one 

 day's duration the flower stems will! not supply sufficient 

 sap to keep the bloom and foliage from flagging, especially 

 in a warm dry atmosphere ; therefore it is (or should be) 

 admissible to strip the foliage from the stem which bears 

 the flower, and tie another stem with foliage to 

 the flower stem. By this means one stem will supply 

 the flower and the other the foliage with sufficient water 

 or sap to keep each fresh for two or even three days. 



Some Remarks on Grouping. 



A few words on grouping may not be out of 

 place, although I cannot point to any marked general 

 improvement since my last book appeared. The 

 group illustrated on page 59 was one which took 

 the large gold medal at the Crystal Palace in November, 

 1909. It will be noticed that there are no straight lines 

 anywhere in the group, but that the blooms are arranged so 

 that, while each one is clearly displayed, the whole effect is 

 artistic and effective. 



