Ja^uaet, 1890. 
9 
Mrs. Alpheus Hardy being among them, 
\but not so good as usual. The cut flowers 
shown by Mr. Coleman (gardener to Mr. C. 
L. Power) were judiciously selected and ad- 
mirably grown. In this stand Kioto and 
Lilian Bird were particularly noteworthy. 
An interesting feature was Leonard & Co’s 
general exhibit, consisting of potted Reti- 
nosporas and other evergreens, novelties in 
trees and shrubs, Palms, Ferns, plants in 
bloom, Chinese vases, and so on, the whole 
arranged with much good taste. Mr. E. H. 
Dennison, an amateur, stood head and 
shoulders above his associates. His speci- 
men plant of Golden Rod Chrysanthemum 
we judged to be some seven or eight feet 
high and at least eight feet in diameter, 
finely grown, and a solid mass of bright 
golden bloom. The La France Roses of Mr. 
Miellez, with stems and foliage some two 
feet long, and placed loosely in a Chinese 
vase, were simply magnificent. 
Besides Chrysanthemums there was a fine 
display of Roses, Carnations, and other cut 
flowers by Dexter Snow and others. An 
exhibit of Celery by Harry Jones was much 
too good to be overlooked. We have very 
seldom seen such beautiful and perfect spe- 
cimens of blanching. 
We should like to particularize further, 
if we had space;but we can not help adding 
that, as a whole, the exhibition was metro- 
politan in character, and compared favora- 
bly with any that have been held in our 
large cities. We should like to see such ex- 
hibitions spring up all over the country, 
and hope this one may act as a leaven. One 
does not know what he can do till he tries. 
Two praiseworthy features ought to be 
noticed. First, the presence of so many 
ladies, who made themselves useful in per- 
fecting the arrangements. Second, the set- 
ting apart a day as “Children’s Day.” Sat- ] 
urday was named, so that the school chil- 
dren could enjoy it. The cut flowers were 
renewed and everything brightened up, that 
the little ones might have a good time. 
They enjoyed it immensely. 
A trial has convinced us that the tuber- 
ous-rooted Begonia may be had in flower 
every month in the year. It is a little trou- 
ble to summer over the tubers, but it has 
been done, and we have plants in bloom 
now. The tubers may be started at any 
time if properly kept. — P. B. Mead. 
Flower* of the Season. 
Favorites amony Roses and Chrysanthemums. Dec- 
orative Plants and Room Decorations. 
After a very dead autumn, trade began to 
revive in December, but the flower crop 
has been disappointing in most cases. The 
severest failures were among hybrid roses 
for early forcing; the continued rain made 
it impossible to ripen the wood, and in some 
cases thousands of plants went blind when 
they were forced for the early trade. When 
flowers were produced, they were apt to be 
malformed and short stemmed. 
The disappointment with Magna Charta 
caused heavy loss, and naturally left a | 
| wider market for American Beauty, always 
a most salable rose. Hybrids were not the 
only sufferers by the rain ; teas were also 
seriously affected, and the loss was heavy 
in carnations out of doors; in some cases 
the entire crop was killed. Taken all round, 
florists are disposed to regard this as one of 
the most disastrous seasons known. 
During the chrysanthemum season, these 
flowers cheapened roses, as usual. Indeed, 
fine blooms of the former brought a higher 
price than roses, but of course they were 
choice specimens, grown on disbudded 
plants. They usually command a large 
price. “Mrs. Hardy” has not yet taken the 
front rank in cut blooms which was predict- 
ed for it, but this is probably not the fault 
of the flower. It is much admired, but it 
seems to be a poor grower, and is crowded 
out by stronger plants. 
Some November brides carried bunches 
of “Mrs. Hard} 7 ” and maidenhair, and yel- 
low or pink chrysanthemums were favored 
by bridesmaids. The winner of Mrs. Harri- 
son’s cup, “Ada Spaulding,” seems likely to 
be a favorite next year, and its lovely pink 
is a very useful tint. The other star chrys- 
anthemum of tins year, the new variety, 
“Louis Boehmer,” is a fine, strong flower, 
and unique, but it will hardly take among 
cut flowers, as its color is not sufficiently 
pleasing. 
The growing taste for naturally arranged 
flowers is greatly to the advantage of chrys- 
anthemums; they are put loosely in jars of 
Oriental pottery or graceful baskets, with 
some bold foliage, giving an effect which 
could never be obtained by old style formal 
arrangements. 
One of the new roses which seems likely 
to be very fashionable is Madam Hoste. In 
shape and size it suggests the Bride, but the 
petals are a trifle shorter. The color is a 
clear primrose yellow, attractive and dis- 
tinct. It combines to perfection with Cy- 
pripedium insigne, which, in spite of show- 
ier rivals, is the most salable general utility 
orchid. Another new rose which growers 
favor highly is Duchess of Albany, wlrich 
will be planted extensively next year. It 
seems to possess all the good qualities of its 
parent, the La France, and certainly ap- 
pears stronger. 
Bay windows are draped with asparagus 
and filled with foliage plants; a beautiful 
arrangement is to cover the ceiling of the 
bay with asparagus, and then bang orchid 
plants in baskets from the roof. Odorrto- 
glossums, Cattleyas, andLaelias have been 
used for this purpose. 
This winter, fortunately forthe florists, de- 
butantes are to display the flowers they re- 
ceive, and at a recent ball the presentation 
bouquets were very cleverly displayed .Ap- 
ertures were cut in the top of a large round 
table, and a vase of water inserted in each 
hole, after the manner we are accustomed 
to at flower shows; the bouquets were put in 
these glasses, and the edge of the table fin- 
ished by a fringe of ivy and asparagus reach- 
ing to the floor. It made a handsome de- 
coration. 
A good many cyclamens are used in de- 
coration^ they were last year, potted plants 
being used to border groups, or bank man- 
tels, while the cut flowers find ready sale, 
and they pay at $1.50 a hundred. The 
strong-growing varieties with well-marked 
leaves are naturally most salable. 
Regular set decorations are rarely seen; 
reception rooms have a back-ground of 
palms and ferns, while the flowers are loose- 
ly arranged in jars and vases of fine pottery. 
For a supper table nothing is more admired 
than a large bowl filled with long-stemmed 
American Beauty roses, with no foliage 
save their own. The same style is often 
seen on dinner tables in place of a flat bas- 
ket, the roses being distributed afterwards 
as favors. The long, low baskets used on 
the table are first filled with ferns, the plants 
just turned out of the pots, and the flowers 
put in afterwards. Perhaps the most used 
table basket is composed of ferns and Beau- 
ty roses, but nothing can excel the effect 
of maidenhair studded with Cattleyas. 
The round, French fish baskets aDd the 
flaring Marie Antoinette shape still seem the 
most popular; it seems rather a difficult 
matter to get a new and original shape. A 
combination of pink roses and cypripediums 
makes a favorite basket but the favorite flor- 
al gift is still a box of loose flowers. Every 
holiday shows that loose flowers are far 
ahead of set pieces or baskets. 
Smilax is generally regarded as bemg 
out of date, its place being largely taken 
by asparagus, which always realizes the 
higher price of the two, but the old favorite 
is still useful. In decorating large spaces 
it is often needed as a backing for the as- 
paragus, which is too feathery to fill up 
well. In twining stair rails and newels the 
smilax is mingled with asparagus. In one 
case a good object was produced by using 
chrysanthemums, from yellow to copper 
red, mingled with the stair draping and 
massed about the hall. Fine foliage plants 
seem still increasing in favor for room dec- 
oration. A very good effect is produced by 
a fine group around the newel at the foot of 
a tall stairway — palms, pandanus, crotons 
and ferns are arranged in a bank graduated 
up to the palm crow nin g the newel-post. , 
In big decorations we see an increased use 
of “Southern Smilax,” which is really first 
cousin to our cat briar; it is not much to 
look at of itself, but it backs other things. 
Southern pine and palmetto are also large- 
ly used. 
Orchids are being grown by the thou- 
sand for cut flowers; it looks as if some- 
body’s fingers would be burnt at this busi- 
ness. For in spite of their beauty, many 
admire them simply because they are rare 
and costly, and the market is not yet in a 
condition to star.d the immense quantity of 
these flowers that is being grown.— Emily 
Louise Taplin. 
Benew your subscription as soon as it ex- 
pires and thus keep your file complete. As a 
rule toe are not able to supply back numbers. 
