150 CUT FLOWERS. 



A Hand- Bouquet should be built as light and airy as pos- 

 sible, in shape like two-thirds of a globe, and about nine inches 

 in diameter of flowers, exclusive of the fringe of fern fronds 

 or other greeneiy. In competition bouquets the dominant 

 colour of the flowers should be white, with a due blending of 

 delicate shades of pink, orange, and red, all of which should 

 harmonise with each other, and be tastefully set off with light 

 graceful sprays of maidenhair fern. All violent contrasts are 

 objectionable, and gaudy colours should be carefully avoided. 

 The choicest and finest floweis at command should be em- 

 ployed, and every bloom selected and examined with care 

 to see that it is pei-fect. Some of the best flowers for bou- 

 quets are those of the Bouvardia, Carnation, Chrysanthemum, 

 Erica, Eucharis, Gardenia, Lapageria, Lily, Lily of the 

 Valley, Narcissus, Orange, Orchids, Pancratium, Pink, Rose, 

 StephanotLs, Tabernaemontana, and Tuberose. 



No frames should be used or allowed in the building of a 

 bouquet, but all the flowers should be carefully and neatly 

 wired. A piece moist wadding should be placed on the cut 

 end of the stem with the wire round it, thus affording a little 

 moisture, to retain the freshness of the flower as long as 

 possible. In commencing to make a bouquet, a groundwork 

 of flattish flowers should be formed about six inches wide, into 

 which the others should be regularly and tastefully inserted, 

 keeping the upper edge of the petals about two inches above 

 it without showing the wires. Each truss or bloom should 

 stand clear by itself, the various colour and forms being 

 distributed over the bouquet in harmonious order, and far 

 enough apart to allow the groundwork to be seen between 

 them. A few sprays of Adiantum gracillinvm should next be 

 inserted, spreading them gracefully over the top, and neatly 

 flnishing off with a fringe of Adiantum cuneatmu fronds 

 carefully placed round the edge. Bouquets built in this style 

 being free and open, look more natural and graceful than with 

 a close plain surface. Tastefully designed bouquet-papers 

 should be used for all hand-bouquets, and should be put on 

 when staging them. 



The Bride's Bouquet should be of the same size and build 



