The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



OCTOBBB 28, 1009, 



of flowers or with ribbon only. A spray 

 of brilliant foliage with a ribbon rosette 

 might well adorn such a piece. 



An All-fem Base. 



The base of a standing design can be 

 handsomely made of all ferns. Any va- 

 riety of nephrolepis is suitable for this 

 purpose; often unshapely or one-sided 

 plants just fit the base. Here is where 

 square bases, rather than round ones, are 

 serviceable, the square ones giving more 

 space for the ball of soil if a plant is to 

 be used. Or a base of about half ferns 

 and half flowers is good, only do not 

 divide the arrangement abruptly. Blend 

 from one to the other by streaking or 

 blotching lines of one color into the mass 

 of the other. 



One large fern with long fronds at one 

 side, banked in below and around the 

 rest of the base by smaller ferns of a 

 different kind, makes a pleasing base. If 

 the fern plant cannot be spared and 



its wiry stem and tough foliage when 

 the flowers are entirely gone. There is 

 no other material, even if we include 

 long-stemmed specimen flowers, that 

 makes a more graceful and appropriate 

 setting for a funeral design than an ar- 

 rangement of fern plants or fronds. 

 Even the common wood ferns, which are 

 bought by the thousands for the cheapest 

 work, can be grouped in this way to re- 

 semble graceful fern plants. 



Covering a Fireplace* 



To fill in a fireplace, stem them in 

 groups and plant in sphagnum, as de- 

 scribed above. The sphagnum should be 

 packed on a wire frame, fitted to the 

 fireplace. A frame need not be made; 

 anything that can be adjusted to the 

 shape of an arch will serve the purpose. 

 After being covered with ferns, it will 

 resemble a little hillside with ferns grow- 

 ing on it. Being rather perishable, these 

 ferns should be plunged in water and al- 



favors, planted upright in a flat-outii, 

 funeral piece while the piece is bein 

 mossed, as borders for flower baskets o^ 

 as dainty touiehes in window decoration' 

 where bare spots need something aiui you 

 don't know just what. Larger ferns of 

 long-leafed habit, are much needed in 

 large baskets for funerals, store opeuing. 

 or ordinary display work. Often they 

 serve in a double capacity here, for their 

 decorative qualities and to make up for a 

 scarcity of flowers. 



Filling a Fernery. 



The filling of ferneries should l>e as 

 carefully looked after as any fine di'sign- 

 ing about the store. Too often it is left 

 to a boy, and his accomplishments in this 

 line will rival those of a milliner 's ap- 

 prentice. A slightly taller specimen, of 

 light weight and fine cut foliage, is 

 usually best for the center. Lower, but 

 not too bushy plants may be grouped 

 about the edge, aikdi those on the outside 

 edge should be rather airy and long, and 

 tipped slightly outward to cover the edge. 

 About three varieties are enough for an 

 ordinary sized fernery. Attractive com- 

 binations are holly-leaved fern and As- 

 paragus plumosus ; another, an assort- 

 ment of pteris ferns; another, aspidium 

 and Asparagus plumosus, or an all adian- 

 tum if shapely; full plants can be had 

 in the smaller sizes. 



Wherever flowers are acceptable, the 

 same can be said of ferns. Many speci- 

 mens of potted ferns are sent to the sick 

 room instead of perishable blooming 

 plants or cut flowers, and even the frail 

 adiantums outlast any flowers. 



When flowers are scarce, have an entire 

 fern window around and within a grotto 

 of rocks, with a little water in sight if 

 possible. Ferns, whether potted or cut, 

 are of prime value decoratively anywhere 

 and at any time. 



When standing under the- lower fronds 

 of the great brakes of the North Pacific 

 coast you will admire their beauty and 

 grace more than their size and will more 

 than ever enjoy their tiny relatives of 

 the hothouse and woods. 



Gebteude Blaib. 



A Standing Wreath. 



plenty of cut ferns of any kind are to 

 be had, make your plants, so to speak. 

 Stem two or three to a pick or match 

 stick, flaring them in opposite direc- 

 tions; tip out and group them closely in 

 the sphagnum. 



Many dislike the cut dagger fronds, 

 much preferring the common wood fern 

 for spray or design work. But here is a 

 place where the dagger works in to bet- 

 ter advantage still, holding its place by 



lowed to soak over night before they are 

 used. In spray work they are too flat 

 to use alon€, but should have some good, 

 springy brush under them, and half the 

 quantity will do. 



The small assorted ferns, such as 

 aspidium, the various kinds of pteris, 

 holly fern, plumosus, and others which 

 are the favorites for ferneries, can be 

 used to good advantage in other ways — 

 in tiny baskets as dinner or luncheon 



A VREATH WITH SHOWER. 



One of the notable funerals at Water- 

 bury, Conn., was that of Monsignor 

 William J. Slocum. It called for an 

 elaborate display of floral work, among 

 which was the piece shown in the accom- 

 panying illustration, the work of Mrs. 

 Floto, of Saxe & Floto. The wreath 

 was made of white chrysanthemums and 

 pink roses, the base of longiflorum lilies, 

 and the shower of white chiflfon into 

 which have been tied large white can.a- 

 tions, from which the stems had ben 

 cut. A broad white ribbon attested 'o 

 the fact that the emblem was "From ' Q 

 Greeks of Waterbury. ' ' That the • c- 

 sign pleased its purchasers is shown V 

 the fact that they had it photograph > 

 and the satisfaction of the customer s 

 the one real test of the quality of '<^ 7 

 work. 



KERR'S WEDDING DECORATION?. 



While church weddings calling J i" 

 elaborate decorations may be common .n 

 the large cities, in places like HoustL'U, 

 Tex., where the Eobert C. Kerr Flor.il 

 Co. put up the decoration illustrated m 

 this issue, such an event is rare enou;:h 

 to attract special attention. Nothing ^o 

 elaborate had ever before been seen in 

 Houston, although the southern cities are 



