THE PLANT DECORATION OE APARTMENTS. 267 



common moss ■and8rneatli_, and the surface nicely formed of 

 fresh green Lycopodium denticnlatum, tlie -^liole being 

 dotted over with the varionsly-tinted Chinese Primulas — a 

 bank of these plants_, in fact^ high enough in its back parts 

 to be reflected in the mirror with the taller plants which 

 suiTOunded it^ gradually falling to the floor, and merging 

 into the groups of larger plants on either side of the bank, 

 the whole being enclosed by a low gilt wooden trellis-work 

 margin. The groups at each side contrasted most beautifully 

 with this. Green 

 predominated, but 

 there was a suffi- 

 ciency of flower, 

 while beauty of 

 form was fully 

 developed. In the 

 centre and back 

 parts of these 

 groups were tall 

 specimens of the 

 common Sugar- 

 cane (Saccharum 

 officinarum) which 

 held their long 

 and boldly arching 

 leaves well over 

 the group. These 

 were supported 

 by Palms, which 

 threw their graceful lines over the specimen Camellias, which 

 were, in their turn, graced here and there by the presence of 

 a Dracaena or dwarf Palm ; and so down to the front edge, 

 where Cinerarias, forced bulbs. Primulas, and Ferns, finished 

 off the groups, all very closely placed, so that neither the 

 lower part of the stems, nor a particle of any of the pots, 

 could be seen. Any interstices that happened to remain 

 between the bases of the plants were compactly filled with 

 fresh green moss, which was also pressed against the little 

 gilt trellis-work which enclosed the whole, so that from the 



Fig. 105. 



Alocasia metallica. 



