212 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDENING. 



centre, two slender Palms, of well-proportioned out- 

 line, would be the best to choose, in order to avoid 

 any density in appearance when looking from end to 

 end. The dishes of fruit should also be increased in 

 proportion to the table, but avoid placing two dishes 

 to flank the centre-piece if possible, filling up any 

 spare space as before. If the flowers be plentiful, 

 some suitable selections may be placed on or against 

 each napkin, such as Rosebuds, for instance. 



For smaller tables either one stand or vase of 

 light design would be ample, or a well-grown plant 

 instead could be used as a centre-piece. We rather 

 prefer the latter, lea\ung the flowers to be displayed 

 in small specimen glasses. These dinner-table plants 

 are all the better preserved in good condition if 

 changed every day, or at least three times a week. 

 We practise the " every-day " change, ha\dng a good 

 reserve to choose from. Tables that seat from four 

 to six persons are most pleasing in appearance, we 

 always think, when of circular form. 



Dessert. — With regard to the dessert, some few 

 remarks are necessary in respect to the arrangement. 

 The system of intermixing both fruit and flowers on 

 the same dish has no good quality to recommend 

 itself to our notice. Many kinds of fruit require 

 most careful handling to preserve the bloom intact, 

 as Grapes, for instance : these in the mixed-up way 

 would most likely suffer. Perhaps also the kind of 

 fruit most wanted could not be taken without dis- 

 turbing some others. We much prefer keeping each 

 kind on a separate dish, unless only a very limited 

 quantity is desired. In laying Grapes on a dish, 

 the best plan is to hold the dish up on its end in one 

 hand, and then place the bunch against it, whenever 

 it is of extra size. The bunch "nail thus take all its 

 bearings at once, and friction between the berries 

 will be diminished. The plan sometimes followed of 

 cutting up the bunches into small pieces ought never 

 to be allowed. With Pine-apples, if the fruit is 

 likely to be consumed at once, it had better be 

 broken up with a fork than cut with a knife; the 

 juice being thus better retained in each piece. Very 

 delicate handling is most requisite with Peaches, 

 Nectarines, Strawberries, and Pears with clear skins. 



For dishing up the dessert, no leaves surpass those 

 of the Vine for general use. Small leaves of the 

 Bay-tree look very well for Oranges, but on the 

 whole Vine-leaves are the best when obtainable. 

 These have no equal, as some kinds assume their 

 beautiful tints with the ripening of the wood during 

 the late summer and autumn. When any large 

 quantity has to be supplied, it is the best plan to 

 have a reserve Vine for that purpose in the open 

 air, trained against a wall. The Esperione and 

 Parsley-leaved Vines would thvis be ornaments as 



well as being useful. A few fronds of Maiden- 

 hair Fern might be added here and there for 

 special occasions, or small leaves of other plants with 

 distinct coloration to those of the Vine. When all 

 deciduous foliage has fallen, we can resort to the 

 leaves of Berberis, Ivj, Aucuba, and the common 

 Laurel, with the " Portugal " too. Except the first 

 named, all the other foliage had better be picked a 

 day or two before wanted for use, in order to reduce 

 the strong smell arising from them. The leaves of 

 some deciduous trees could be kept for a long time 

 after having fallen; those of the Scarlet Oak 

 {Qiiercus coccinea) would be of considerable use in 

 this way, if kept pressed out flat. To keep Vine- 

 leaves fresh and free from curling, they should bo 

 laid between two plates or dishes, which is better 

 than placing them in water. 



General Design. — In the decorations of the 

 dining-table it is much the better plan to carefidly 

 consider all arrangements beforehand, so that one 

 can, as it were, see the completion in his mind's 

 eye previous to the commencement, at least to a 

 certain extent. The colours also must be chosen 

 to suit the light, blue being allowed only to a 

 limited amount in those designs to be viewed under 

 artificial light. Two or three shades of the same 

 colour should not be used in close association. 

 Single flowers are in most cases preferable to double 

 forms, and imless it be in circumstances of emergency 

 we like to keej) them apart. Take for an instance 

 the flowers of the Eucharis, the Pancratium, the 

 Vallota, the Agapanthus, the Amaryllis, the Liliums, 

 the Cactus, the Azaleas, the Dipladenias, the Alla- 

 mandas, the Passion Flowers, the single Dahlias, 

 the single Anemones, the Iris, the Bouvardias, and 

 Chinese Primulas (single), let alone the Orchidaceous 

 plants and others that might be cited— there are no 

 double flowers comparable to them for effective and 

 artistic displays. Double flowers may look showy, 

 but there is an amount of heaviness about most of 

 them that cannot be effaced. Those who may not 

 have practisea the use of single flowers by them- 

 selves, could with advantage make a start in that 

 direction, and compare the results for themselves. 



We would also advocate the occasional employ- 

 ment of what may be termed distinctive arrange- 

 ments. By this we mean the carrying out of a 

 design with nearly, or quite, all the flowers being 

 gathered from one genus, admitting only those that 

 bear a resemblance. Thus, Roses by themselves; 

 the Chrysanthemums the same ; Bouvardias too. in 

 distinct colours, make a striking arrangement ; 

 Gloxinias also, with a liberal mixture of Maiden- 

 hair Fern; Begonias with their own handsome 

 foliage, varying in shades from the pale gi'een of 



