214 PRACTICAL FLORICULTURE. 



than for flower. The place where the plants are to be 

 used must determine their size and their kind ; if for very 

 large halls, then large palms, often six feet in height 

 and diameter are used ; but if for church decoration, to 

 be simply used on the platform, plants from one to three 

 feet are best ; and here, flowering plants, particularly at 

 Easter, are used in preference. Among the palms best 

 suited for decoration are : Latania Bor-bonica, Seaforthia 

 elegans, Kentia australis, K. Belmoriana, K. Foster- 

 iana, K. Wendlandi, Areca lutescens, A. Bauerii, A. 

 Verschaffeltii, Raphis flabelliformis, Phoenix rupicola, 

 P. reclinata, P. tennis, Corypha australis, Chamoerops 

 excelsa and Cocos Wedleyana. Of Dracenas : D. termin- 

 alis, D. indivisia, D. Cooperii, D. fragrans, D. draco^ 

 and D. australis. The "rubber plant," Ficus elastica, 

 Pandanus utilis, P. Veitchii, are all much used. Plants 

 used in fruit, such as :' Solanum Hendersonii, Ardisia 

 crenulata ; for flower, Chinese Primroses, Deutzias, Be- 

 gonias, Cinerarias, Azaleas, Geraniums, Hyacinths and 

 Tulips, Mignonette, Madam Plantier, or other white 

 Roses, are all used for decoration at Easter, and other 

 occasions for church work. For decoration at any date 

 previous to January nothing is equal to well-grown 

 plants of Chrysanthemums, which are now largely used 

 for such purposes. 



For the verandas of summer hotels, or those places 

 where plants are used for decoration during the summer 

 or early fall months, thefancy-leaved(7aMmws, of which 

 there is now a most extensive variety, truly wonderful 

 in their leaf markings, a description of which it is use- 

 less to attempt, are finely adapted, as they are of the 

 easiest growth during the hot months ; plants from 

 three inch pots in May can be grown to a width of one 

 and a half to two feet by September. The fancy kinds of 

 Caladiums, though most of them are useless for planting 

 in the open ground, are easily grown under glass or on 



