194 HOME DECORATION". 



it will eat and destroy the grasses. In all kinds of dye- 

 ing, soft water must be used, and rain-water is preferable. 



Grasses are made up in bouquets, handle and hanging- 

 baskets, brackets, and vases. In arranging them, too 

 much color should not be used. A few sprays of the most 

 delicate colors among a quantity of bleached material, is 

 in good taste. Eose, scarlet, pale-green, .and yellow, make 

 up the best in combination with bleached grasses. 



The bracket on page 193 is made by taking half of 

 an ordinary flower-basket of desirable pattern, and sew- 

 ing it on a pasteboard back, or it can be made more 

 substantially by wiring to a wood back. The basket is 

 filled with sphagnum or peat-moss tied firmly in place. 

 This holds the grasses, which are glued and dry stiffly in 

 position. Ferns and autumn leaves may be used among 

 the grasses, as taste suggests. 



Bouquets are made by tying up small bunches of as- 

 sorted grasses, which are bound in position on a stick, 

 forming one large bouquet. There are no regular rules 

 for arranging grasses, but it is well to put color somewhat 

 in masses, else at a distance, there will be no positive 

 effect. In trimming baskets, the small-headed Italian 

 wheat and oats are used with foreign quaking grasses. 

 They are moistened to prevent breaking, and fastened 

 with covered colored wires in tufts and small bunches. 

 For natural flowers, bleached material only is used. 



Small, bushy grasses, bleached and unbleached, will be 

 found useful in ornamental cases of stuffed specimens. 

 Rushes, cat-tails, and the more robust grasses may be 

 painted as described in the " Chapter on Ferns." They 

 may be used for topping large vases and brackets, and 

 tastefully arranged in corners of rooms. 



