DECORATIVE USE OF FLOWERS. 



207 



a design, if ever used, should only te placed as a 

 single arrangement on the centre of the table, hut is 

 far more appropriate in the drawing-room. All oh- 

 struction in the line of sight when seated at the 

 table should be reduced to a minimum ; such designs, 

 therefore, as require filling at the height of the eye 

 are not weU suited for the purpose. Kot unfre- 

 quently glass vases are to be seen with three and even 

 six cornucopias branching from the base of the stem. 

 These are certainly not suited for a dinner-table, 

 for the reasons just given. Having once two such 

 vases to fiU, we removed the six cornucopias which 

 clustered aroimd the central one. This left us with 

 the exact design we have just recommended, viz., a 

 base, with one tall central trumpet arising out of the 

 same. It was, in fact, this occurrence that first led 

 us into this design, which we were one of the first to 

 adopt ; since, then, however, it has come into more 

 prominent notice. 



Another pattern of glass stand not suited for 

 the dinner-table is that which has little orna- 

 mental glass baskets suspended in lieu of the side 

 cornucopias just mentioned; neither is any pattern 

 advisable that stands on a foot, and thus elevates the 

 vase to any considerable extent from off the doth. 



It is well also to observe that glass vases are at 

 least as well suited for any kind of decoration when 

 of plain tcorkmanship. Highly-finished vases, with 

 beautifully-figured designs thereon, are not in any 

 sense preferable to their more modest and less pre- 

 tentious rivals ; in fact, we prefer a plain pattern at 

 all times, bearing in mind that the flowers are the 

 ornaments to the vases, not the vases to the flowers. 

 Coloured glass is now much in use, in various shades 

 and tints ; but we fail to see any real advantage in 

 these new departures; either the foliage or the 

 flowers will often clash with the colour of the glass, 

 causing unnecessary restriction in the selection of 

 material.^ Plain clear glass, or that of a smoky or 

 milky-white tint, is, in our opinion, the best in all 

 cases. 



Glass troughs of varied patterns are likewise to be 

 met with, but they afford very little scope for artistic 

 arrangement, or diversity in the method of filling 

 the same. In such the flowers have to be used with 

 needlessly short stems, which often destroys their 

 natural beauty to a certain extent. Plateaux of 

 looking-glass are employed as a representation of 

 water surface; but who ever saw a lake or pond 

 standing on legs ? The place for such designs is cer- 

 tainly on the ground, and nowhere else. 



Specimen Glasses. — Great improvements have 

 been made of late years in the patterns of specimen 

 glasses, and these are now to be seen in numerous 

 pretty shapes and sizes. We would prefer those with 



a solid glass base, as affording greater security 

 against being toppled over, and hkewise of a medium 

 height, so that the flowers placed in them are fairly 

 elevated from the table for them to be seen to the 

 best advantage. The small globe-like glasses which 

 are now in frequent use on dinner-tables, are only 

 adapted for flowers with short footstalks. The 

 blossoms of the Camellia are very well suited to this 

 pattern, and small sprays of the Indian Azalea will 

 also look well in them. This shape of glass, we 

 find, is rather difficult to handle when, the necessary 

 amount of foliage is used to display the flowers; 

 they have one merit, however, in not being easily 

 upset. A good selection of specimen glasses affords 

 the decorator a means of utilising the flowers at 

 command in times of scarcity with the utmost possi- 

 ble effect ; they also help to fill up what might pos- 

 sibly be blank spaces were it not for their presence. 

 Good examples only of flowers should be used to fill 

 them when there is sufficient .choice, and the least 

 semblance of overcrowding should never be allowed. 

 Single individual flowers of good size are ample ; 

 thus of the Roses one blossom is sufficient, with its 

 own foUage and buds attached. One blossom of 

 JEttcharis amazonica, with a small spray of Scarlet 

 fiouvardia as a contrast, is quite enough. Three 

 flowers of the Gloxinias make a pretty filling for a 

 specimen glass of fair size, and are among the best- 

 suited flowers that can be had for such purposes. 

 With a frond or two of Davallia bullata, again, take 

 one bloom of the Dipladenias or of the AUamandas, 

 and you have quite sufficient. These handsome 

 flowers need no other accompaniment than the Fern. 

 The spikes of Astilte japonica are very useful also 

 in these glasses, with one flower of. another shade; 

 such, for instance, as one spathe of the Flamingo 

 Plant (Anthuriwn Scherzerianum). Many of the 

 Orchids are just adapted for such glasses ; as, for 

 example, the handsome blossoms of the Cattleyas 

 and Lselias. 



When a few finger-glasses can be spared, they 

 can be turned to good account for Water Lilies ; and 

 the glorious blossoms of the GranadUla {Passiflora 

 quadrangularis) also look well placed in the same, 

 though they must of necessity be inverted from their 

 natural hanging position to do this. 



Baskets Very beautiful arrangements of 



flowers can be displayed in rustic baskets, and are 

 very well suited for tables of but moderate size. 

 The baskets should not be of more than average 

 dimensions when required for the dinner-table. 

 Suitable sizes, of oblong shape, with a slender 

 handle, are about the best. We prefer those with 

 the handle, as it affords a medium for entwining 

 a climber around the same. These baskets are well 



