164 The Floral Decoration of 



be done by a judicious mixture of graceful Ferns. No 

 other kind of plants break stiff outlines and bring out 

 graceful effects so well as they. When trailing plants 

 are used they are better allowed to grow in their 

 natural way than trained over globe or fan-shaped 

 trellises. "When trained in this fashion, on trellises, 

 they have a stiff unnatural appearance, far from pleasing 

 to the eye of taste. 



Small single specimens of fine foliage plants are 

 excellent for brackets on the wall, such as Crotons, 

 Begonias, Dracmnas, Caladiums, FicMS,and many others; 

 also Ferns, Mosses, and flowering plants. The common 

 Ivy is the best of all trailing plants for the decoration 

 of rooms and passages by means of brackets. A 

 continuous wreath can be carried along a wall in this 

 way ; or it may be draped around the window recess, 

 or formed into screens for the drawing-room by being 

 planted in ornamental boxes and trained over a wire 

 trellis. 



On the floor in the window recess, and in the empty 

 fire-places, during Summer, tasteful Ferneries can be 

 got up. In a fire-place especially, a natural screen of 

 Ferns, Palms, and such like is far before any other 

 contrivance we see used for the same purpose ; and if 

 a small lead pipe be laid on from the water supply, a 

 pretty little fountain can be had to play among the 

 plants. 



In the arranging of cut flowers in vases or trumpet 

 glasses, you should always avoid using too many 

 flowers, this is where a great many err ; they crowd in 

 flower after flower indiscriminately, and the result is a 



