50 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



colors, with which the}- are in harmonious opposition, as orange with 

 blue, purple with yellow and green with red. From the combination 

 of these secondar}' colors arise three tertiary colors — olive, composed 

 of purple and green; citron, composed of green and orange; and 

 russet, composed of orange and purple. The tertiary colors are in 

 harmonious opposition to the secondar}' colors from which the}' are 

 combined, but the}' form neutral tints to the primary colors, with 

 which they harmonize. Red, blue and yellow harmonize and«may 

 be placed near each other, but purple should not be placed near 

 red or blue, as it is composed of these two colors ; for the same 

 reason orange should not be placed in juxtaposition to red or yellow, 

 the rule being that no primary color should be brought into contact 

 with a secondary color of which itself is a component part ; nor any 

 secondary color brought into contact with a tertiary color of which 

 it is a component part. I find exceptions to this rule, but there are 

 colors and colors, and tones and tones of each color, until one is 

 so blended into the other that we can scarcely discern where one 

 leaves off and the other begins. One of my objections is the juxta- 

 position of the green and blue. One never wearies of the varied 

 Scotch plaids, in which the green and blue figure so harmoniously 

 together, and the peacock's feather being toned by the mass of golden 

 brown which is flecked with the same colors will never cease to fas- 

 cinate the lover of brilliant coloring ; and, too, every blue flower has 

 its own green leaves with which it is harmonious. Nature, so lavish 

 in her blue overhead, is choice of her blue in the blossoms, but there 

 is one dainty floweret whose blue tint is not reproduced in the floral 

 kingdom. You ask its name? The little blue eyes will answer you 

 in the one word, forget-me-not. Another general rule is, that the 

 secondary and tertiary colors and the neutral tints arising from com- 

 binations of the tertiary colors — as brown, slate, grey, lavender, 

 maroon, etc., should be used in lavish quantities, and the primary 

 colors in sparing quantities for heightening the effect. In combin- 

 ing red, blue and yellow flowers, use nearly twice as many of the 

 blue as of the red, and nearly twice as many of the red as of the 

 yellow, to produce a pleasing harmony. One should always 

 consider well the back-ground as well as the light to which the 

 flowers are to be subjected. The whole arrangement may be 

 spoiled by an unsuitable back-ground, and artificial light so changes 

 the tints of many flowers that the charm of harmonious effect in the 

 light of day proves a mortifying failure in the evening. As every 



