November, 1911 
mahogany. It is like a 
handsome picture wrought 
with the needle instead of 
with the brush. The colors 
of servers of this sort are 
rich and brilliant. The 
whole thing smacks so de- 
cidedly of the Orient that 
it carries one in imagina- 
tion to the Celestial empire. 
There such a tray is placed 
in the midst of the circle 
of diners. Each dish is 
filled with savory curried 
rice. Everyone helps him- 
self. This is sociable and : 
friendly. Moreover, it conveys the desired impression 
of all supping from one dish. Sometimes a servant passes 
the tray. This is customary at the close of even elaborate 
and formal banquets. It is as if the host deprecatingly 
said, ““My frugal meal may have been unsatisfactory. Lest 
you depart hungry, without proper nourishment, take a 
portion of rice, I beseech you.” It is needless to say that 
the satiated guests are equal to the emergency. ‘They 
promptly refuse to partake, thus assuring their host that 
his fears are unwarranted. 
In this country, while curried rice is a favorite dish with 
many people, the tray is not con- 
fined to the original purpose. It 
is used also to serve bonbons, com- 
potes, salted nuts, salads, entrees, 
etc. Portions are arranged in the 
dishes, which are then fitted on the 
salver. An entire course may be 
made ready in advance. House- 
wives will readily appreciate the 
latent possibilities that lurk in such 
trays. When hand embroideries 
are used in the salver, the sets cost 
$17.50. If an ornate Chinese fab- 
ric is employed, the price is only 
about five dollars. Trays of Chi- 
nese embroidery may be had in 
nearly every city, and they are to 
be seen in all shapes and sizes, 
from round to oblong, and even 
triangular. The needlework on 
trays of this sort is usually from 
the embroidered mandarin coats 
or from skirts such as are worn by 
Chinese women of the upper 
classes. Therefore, the quality of 
the needlework will dictate the 
price of the tray it has been se- 
lected to be part of. 
These waiters may be made at 
home at smaller cost. Embroid- 
ered motifs from garments come 
in the form of mats. Good sized 
round ones cost about $1.50, and 
are ready to be adjusted 
under the glass of a tray, 
which may be bought for 
the purpose, made to order 
or adapted from an old 
picture frame. Not only 
are Chinese embroideries 
used under the glass, but 
also fabrics such as bro- 
cades and cretonnes or em- 
broidered linens and filmy, 
VE B= Ne JEP? Ep 
AMERICAN HOMES AND 
A Chinese curry tray of porcelain, and server 
Chinese embroideries may be inserted in serving-trays 
GARDENS 405 
real lace doilies. An inter- 
esting example of a home- 
made tray of this sort con- 
sisted of natural finished 
wood, the corners of which 
were braced with decor- 
ative pieces of copper, 
while denim was used for 
the background. In the 
center was a design encir- 
cling an initial. Both were 
worked in yellow silk. Such 
initial or monogram trays 
are becoming popular for 
their ele gant simplicity. 
The rims of the monogram 
trays may be of silver, wood or wicker, the last 
being especially appropriate for summer and porch use. 
Wicker trays are also to be found employing cretonne for 
the fabric background. Such trays in the shops cost about 
five dollars for the large sizes. Flat trays also come now 
in ornamental pottery with brass or nickel rims. They are 
pretty, serviceable and inexpensive. Besides being used 
for serving, these waiters are again in style for old-fashioned 
teatrays. At breakfast and often at luncheon they are 
fitted with tea or coffee services, cups and saucers and 
placed on the table before the housewife. After the bey- 
erage has been poured, the tray is 
removed. 
One must not neglect some men- 
tion of the very interesting Orien- 
tal trays in brass and bronze which 
are imported from Persia, Turkey, 
Egypt, India, Ceylon, and other 
parts of the Orient. The great 
round trays from Benares are too 
heavy to be carried, and therefore 
are seldom used as servers. How- 
ever, they are especially appro- 
priate for the tea service when other 
brass articles—the samovar, etc.— 
are accessory to the service. 
These trays may also be used 
set upon low-standing legs, after 
the manner of tabourets. Such 
tabouret trays may quickly be lifted 
and the supporting stand con- 
structed so it will fold easily to be 
placed out of the way when not in 
use. It often happens that one de- 
sires to place an attractive tray 
under a kerosene lamp. For such 
uses nothing could be more appro- 
priate than one of the Benares 
trays enameled in green or red. 
From the score of trays deserv- 
ing special mention, these few ex- 
amples have been described as 
serving to suggest the interest of 
the subject. While utility is the 
fundamental idea that 
should be considered in se- 
lecting trays, their decora- 
tive features are also im- 
portant. The salvers one 
may obtain to-day combine 
both elements in a marked 
degree, and good trays 
carefully selected will grace 
any dining-room, whether 
they are always in use or not. 
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