210 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDENING. 



popular of any ; certainly it is one of the lightest 

 and most elegant of all Palms when in a small 

 state. 



As an example, suppose we take a well-halanced 

 plant of this Cocos in a three or four- inch pot, 

 which will he large enough, unless required as a 

 centre-piece to a very large tahle ; place this plant, 

 pot and all, on a dinner or soup plate, and mound up 

 around the pot with wet sand nearly to the rim ; 

 then cover this surface with either green Moss or 

 Selaginella denticulata, otherwise called S. Kraussiana. 

 The variegated form of this Selaginella {S. E. aurea) 

 is most pleasing during the spring-time ; later on its 

 tips lose in a measure their colour. On this carpet- 

 ing we may proceed to arrange a few Fern-fronds 

 around the hase as a fringe to rest on the cloth ; or 

 as a variety, instead of Fern, the foliage of Begonia 

 metallica and a silvery form with it may he used. 

 With the addition of a few Maiden-hair fronds 

 we may then dot in a moderate quantity of flowers 

 as a finish, and to impart colour. For this pm^pose 

 a few blooms of Eucharis are useful ; the Indian 

 Azaleas, as well as the ' ' Ghent " and " mollis " types, 

 too, are very pretty when in season. Some Gloxinia 

 hlooms, or Vallota purpurea, each in their season, 

 have a good effect with the Eucharis. Roses also 

 will look exceedingly well in such a decoration as 

 this, allowing the groundwork of Selaginella to he 

 seen hetween each blossom. Single flowers of the 

 many hardy Lilies and their allies are also effective ; 

 the single forms of Dahlias likewise are suitable, 

 having the advantage of a fairly long stem, which 

 enables the flower to be kept well above the INIoss. 

 Small flowers, such as the Rhodanthes, the Blue 

 Corn Flower, and others, are not striking enough in 

 themselves without the aid of bolder kinds, but as an 

 intermixture they are of good service ; so also are the 

 Forget-me-nots and Gypsophila elegans when they 

 are to be had. Camellias are also excellent for this 

 kind of design, not omitting their own handsome 

 foliage. If flowers are scarce, berries coidd be 

 chosen in lieu thereof, or if the Selaginella be of the 

 best, both may be dispensed with as a change. For 

 this method the golden-tipped variety Avould make 

 an excellent covering, with a few leaves of Begonia 

 metallica as a fringing to the same, the contrast 

 between these two subjects being most effective. 



Fig. 4 is drawn from such a desig-n put together 

 to illustrate this article. In this arrangement the 

 flowers are selected from bulbous and tuberous- 

 rooted plants entirely, all of them having there- 

 fore a certain amount of afiinity. They consist 

 of the Poet's Narcissus, Campanelle Jonquils, 

 red and yellow Tuhps, Lilies of the Yalley, 

 Laehenalia tricolor, and Anemone fulgcns. Besides 

 making use of the foliage of the foregoing flowers. 



some tufts of Cyperus alt ernif alius (the exotic Sedge* 

 grass) and Adiantum C'apillus-veneris (the British 

 Maiden-hair Fern), with a few Begonia - leaves 

 around the base, and a carpeting over the sand (in 

 which the pot of the plant is plunged) of Selaginella 

 or Club Moss are also used. This might be termed 

 a vernal or spring aiTangement. If this design is 

 required in a larger form as a centi'e-piece to a fair- 

 sized table, the Palm may be from about three feet to 

 three feet six inches in height, and even taller, if the 

 table is of extra width and length. We have used 

 them three feet or more in height with good effect, 

 entwining a climber around the stem, or using an 

 extra long spike of an Orchid, as Oncidium sphacc- 

 latum, instead. Nothing exceeding a six-inch pot 

 should be allowed for the largest plants in this kind 

 of work. We avoid even this size as far as we can, 

 for the simple object of keeping the base as low as 

 possible, to avoid any heaviness in appearance. Many 

 who attempt these designs fail in this important 

 point at the commencement of their work, it being 

 necessary to keep the mounding of Moss or Selagi- 

 nella as dwarf as can be, so that it is in proportion 

 to the width at the base— say, for instance, if the 

 height be five inches or thereabouts, the width should 

 be about double, and with the additioii. of foliage to 

 rest on the cloth another eight inches will have to be 

 added to the diameter, which will not be any too 

 much. 



As a centre-piece to a table capable of dining fi'om 

 twenty to twenty-foui' persons, an oval dish, about 

 the middle size, is better than a plate, as it affords 

 the means of extending the base towards the ends of 

 the table by keeping the dish lengthwise. The pot 

 of the plant that is used must not exceed the six- 

 inch diameter, even with this dish in lieu of a plate ; 

 room will, however, be found for two or three tiny • 

 Ferns, Fandanus Veitchii, when well developed in a 

 small state, or the small Caladium argyrites. Plants 

 of the Chinese Primula, when flowered in three-inch 

 pots, can also be used, but taking them out of their 

 pots for the occasion. Take, for instance, an ar- 

 rangement during the spring-time, having one of the 

 afore-named Palms as a centre, with a surrounding 

 of two small Pandanus, a few tiny Ferns, and three 

 or four Primulas, all from the smallest pots. When 

 these have been fixed in the sand, the intervening 

 space can be covered with Moss, and some few cut 

 flowers and foliage added to complete the arrange- 

 ment, such as a few blooms of Tulips like Vermilion 

 Brilliant, Chrysolora, or the distinct self-coloured 

 Due van Thols ; two shades of colour being sufficient, 

 and five or six blossoms quite enough to use. A few 

 spikes of Lilies of the Yalley or flowers of the 

 Daffodils would be a suitable addition. 



From the stove, in place of these that we have 



