Floral Decoration of Apartments in Paris. 119 



fantastic forms, fills with grace and beauty the apartments of the 

 affluent. 



Until recently, I had little belief in the utility of orchids for this 

 purpose, but experience has shown me that they may be intro- 

 duced into a drawing-room with perfect success, the plants not 

 having suffered in the least by the change of atmosphere. The 

 most suitable orchids are the various species of Cattleya, Vanda, 

 Aerides, and Cypripedium. Doubtless the time is not far distant 

 when we may venture to try many more kinds than we can now 

 afford to do ; but even from what we have already done in that way, 

 I entertain no doubt that the orchid family will eventually furnish 

 the most valuable of all plants for room decoration. True they 

 may not live throughout the year in rooms, as Ficuses and such 

 plants do, but that is not desirable their appearance, as a rule, not 

 being prepossessing when out of flower. The quality that they do 

 possess, and that makes them so valuable, is, the thick, succulent 

 texture of the flowers generally enables them to continue a long 

 time in bloom in a room. A like kind of texture enables the 

 leaves to stand during the blooming time without injury. 



