PROCEEDINGS OF THE HORTICULTURAL ASSOCIATION. 627 



white. From time immemorial, in all countries of the eartli, there has been 

 a symbolism of colors, which, especially in religious ceremonies and deco- 

 rations, has been strictly observed and practiced. According to this syni- 

 bolism two principles, light and darkness, produce all colors. Light is 

 represented by white, and darkness by black; but as light does not exist 

 "without fire, red is also used to represent it, and on this basis symbolism 

 admits two primitive colors, red and white. Ked is the sj'mbol of divine 

 love; white the symbol of divine wisdom and uncreated right. Ked, in its 

 various shades, was continually used as a prevailing color in the vestments 

 of the priests, as it is to this day in the Roman church, and by a tradition 

 of practice the cushions of our pulpits and the covering of the communion 

 tables are of this color. In tlie great mysteries of Eleusis a child was 

 always initiated and performed a character emblematic of death, hence he 

 was called the cliild of the sanctjaary, and to this day choir boys in our 

 churches wear red vestments The artists of the middle ages always gave 

 to Christ, after his resurrection, robes of red and white. Yellow was a 

 sj'mbol of the revelation of the love and wisdom of God. Azure was the 

 symbol of divine eternity and of human immortality. From this it will 

 appear that if we undertake on such occasions to emblematize, we should 

 do it with studious care, or else we shall be apt to commit anachronisms. 

 In placing flowers on the communion table, or in the font, on such a festi- 

 val, we should not choose white only, but should choose such colors as are 

 befitting to express the ideas we wish to symbolize. As those who so use 

 flowers believe in the divinity of Christ, the flowers should, in their pre- 

 vailing colors, be red, white, yellow and azure. Red, as indicating his 

 divine love; white, as indicating his divine wisdom and emanation from 

 the Father; yellow as a revelation of his love in dying for us, and azure, 

 as emblematic of his immortality and divine eternity. I could pursue this 

 interesting subject much further, and explain the symbolism of other colors 

 and their various shades, and also the ideas conveyed in their combinations 

 and use, but it is not necessary to do so at present. 



Stifi'ness and a regular formality are especially to be avoided in arrang- 

 ing boufjuets for vases. Lightness and gracefulness are especially to be 

 sought for; but if heavy solid flowers, such as camelias, or roses, or pseo- 

 nies, or similar flowers are used, they ought to be used by themselves with 

 their own foliage, and not intermixed with lighter flowers or foliage. Such 

 flowers, however, are better adapted for baskets where massiveness of 

 efiect is not so much out of character. I would especially call your atten- 

 tion to using as much as possible the foliage properly belonging to the 

 flowers themselves; it invariably harmonizes better with the flowers than 

 the foliage of any other species. As a general rule it will be found, upon 

 close examination, that the foliage belonging to every plant suitable for 

 decorative purposes, has a certain beauty, either by harmony or contrast, 

 with the flowers it produces. Take the rose, for instance, in its full blown 

 state. Its petals are rounded and involved in their lines of arrangement, 

 whilst the foliage is pointed; in this state it produces beauty by contrast 

 of lines. But the buds are pointed, the swelling curve of the outline being 

 similar to the beautiful curve of the leaves; in this state it produces beauty 

 by harmony of lines. Again, take the camolia. Alone, without foliage, 



