898 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ November 2, 1893, 
decided improvements upon most of the old kinds during some seasons ; 
but such sorts as Neal’s Ne Plus Ultra and Scarlet Champion are to be 
depended upon. Of Dwarf varieties few are better than Canadian 
Wonder and Ne Plus Ultra. 
Leeks. 
March is the best month in which to sow seeds to produce Leeks for 
ordinary uses, but for exhibition the first week in February is the most 
suitable time. Sow the seed in boxes, and treat the plants similarly to 
Celery. In light soil it is advisable to plant in well manured trenches, 
but on very stiff soil plant on the level ground. Treat this crop 
generously, give copious waterings of liquid manure during the summer. 
Plant deeply, earth up to blanch like Celery, giving a good drenching 
of water first. Sutton’s Prizetaker is a good variety, mild in flavour, 
but, according to my experience, sometimes liable to soft growth; 
perhaps the fault lies in the soil only. The Lyon is not surpassed. 
Vegetable Marrows. 
These have certainly been very plentiful this year. Our plants 
have been grown in mounds of soil surrounded with plenty of old leaves 
upon which the shoots have lain. They were poor plants when first put 
out, but by shading from the sun for a short time they soon began to fruit, 
and a constant supply has been forthcoming. The seeds should be sown 
in April, plants duly potted as required, and planted out the end of 
May or beginning of June on beds which contain plenty of rich soil. 
During dull weather it is advisable to fertilise the flowers. Moore’s 
Vegetable Cream is the best Marrow that I have grown. 
Before concluding, I would like to say a few words about these vege¬ 
tables for preparing and exhibition and staging them. Good produce 
may be almost spoilt by slovenly staging. Selection of the different 
varieties is the first consideration, and mere size is not always to be 
relied upon. If possible, everything should be had when at its best. 
Do not forget to use the fork when lifting roots. Do not scrub them 
with a hard brush, but soak them in water, and use the sponge only 
to remove the dirt. Select Cauliflowers before their heads open, or 
they will be partially spoilt. Cucumbers and Vegetable Marrows should 
be as even in size and as faultless as possible. Carrots ought to be a 
good colour, and Turnips not too old or stringy inside. Peas must be 
young and tender, and Potatoes even in size, as nearly eyeless as pos¬ 
sible, and clear in the skin. Use plenty of Parsley in staging. Stage 
in such a way as will show up each dish separately, and to the 
very best advantage. This applies in the case of a collection being 
arranged. There is some art to be displayed in arranging a fine collec¬ 
tion of vegetables. Separate dishes call for the same care and attention. 
I should like to take this opportunity of advocating that space be liberally 
given, as is generally done by societies, on the bare tables, and the 
entire abolition of trays in the case of collections of vegetables.— 
Geo. Garner. 
PRACTICAL DINNER TABLE DECORATIONS. 
[By Mr. H- Dunkix. Read at a meeting of the Ealing Gardeners’ Improvement 
Society.] 
I HAVE prefixed the title of this paper by the word “ practical,” 
because many styles of dinner table decorations in vogue at the present 
time, such as one sees at exhibitions, are not practicable as far as the 
majority of gardeners are coneerned. This statement I feel sure will 
-not easily pass unchallenged unless I am able to advance sound reasons 
to justify so emphatic an assertion. I will therefore attempt to do so 
before proceeding further. 
The reason why we see so great a disparity between the styles and 
arrangement of dinner table embellishments at public exhibitions and 
those carried out in the homes of the wealthy, is to a great extent due 
to the fact that those who carry out the former select with great care 
the glasses and stands employed for arranging the flowers in, and in 
some instances have them specially made for the purpose, while 
gardeners in the majority of private places have to adapt their floral 
arrangements to the incongruous and generally far too massive epergnes, 
stands, bowls, and baskets which are provided. These are in many 
instances ancient and costly ornaments of gold and silver, works of high 
art in themselves, but not well fitted to enable the decorator to show 
his ability in devising and carrying out artistic arrangements which are 
in accord with the advanced and refined taste of present times. These 
■elaborate ornaments are frequently heirlooms which have been handed 
down through many successive generations, and are in consequence 
highly prized by those ancient families who still retain them, and who 
are as proud on befitting occasions to display them before their guests 
as they are to show the floral gems of their garden or the artistic 
ability of their gardeners, who, in reality, only reflect the good taste of 
their employers. I maintain, therefore, that real ability in this kind of 
work is best shown by choosing the most suitable materials at command 
for each individual set of ornaments, and arranging them so as to obtain 
a good effect without paying too much regard to conventional style, 
always making a point to have some special feature in each attempt, 
some feature which will strike at once each beholder, and by it be after¬ 
wards remembered. It is, I think, scarcely necessary for me to add 
the prominent feature should be one which does not offend eyes well 
trained to a due balance between accurately proportioned forms and 
well blended colours. 
The old method of using a considerable variety of colour at each 
attempt is now almost extinct, and in many of the best decorations 
now carried out only one colour is used in addition to that supplied by 
the greenery. Speaking generally, white may with advantage be added 
to almost any combination. When, however, a series of dinner parties 
are held which necessitate extensive decorations, it is policy, on several 
occasions, to keep to one colour only, without even the addition of 
white. A more varied effect may in this way be produced with a given 
amount of materials than can be secured by any other means which I 
am aware of. 
In selecting flowers for the purpose care should be taken to use 
only those which look well when seen under the influence of arti¬ 
ficial light, unless, as is rarely the case, dinner is partaken of by 
daylight. The various shades of pink, rose, and scarlet are, I 
think, more telling under artificial light than any other colours 
or shades of colour; certain it is that when well executed designs 
in which either of these colours—especially the two first-named— 
are employed, they command universal and, in some instances, 
enthusiastic admiration. Dark blue and purple flowers should 
invariably be avoided, but pale blue ones often look exceedingly pretty 
when arranged with soft yellow flowers or foliage, or when yellow 
coloured silk is laid upon the cloth. I have frequently heard and read 
that yellow flowers are not effective when seen under artificial light. 
Some shades may not be, but I can scarcely imagine how we could well 
dispense with the fine clear j^ellow and bronzy yellow shades of Chrys¬ 
anthemums, which have a peculiar and delightful beauty of their own, 
and are, moreover, especially adapted for dinner-table embellishments. 
Simple rules as to which colours harmonise with each other are useful 
to beginners ; but those who have a correct eye for colour should rely 
solely on that gift to guide them in the art of colour-blending. They 
will then be able to work out many exquisite combinations of colour, 
which those who rely principally upon a dogmatic code of rules can 
never imitate without running great risk of offending the more correct 
and sensitive optical organs of tbose with a good eye for colour. When 
there is any doubt as to the appearance the colours intended for use 
will present under artificial light, the point may easily be settled by 
taking the various flowers into a darkened room to examine by the light 
—^gas or lamp. 
Every gardener who has had a fair amount of experience in the 
arrangement of flowers for whatever purpose, is aware that a light 
feathery outline must be obtained to produce a good effect. It is 
therefore essential that crowding should at all times be avoided. Some 
fail in securing this lightness of arrangement, because they experience 
considerable difficulty in fixing the flowers in the exact positions they 
require them to occupy. This is, however, easily accomplished by 
inserting pieces of box a few inches in length between the stems, so as 
to keep each flower held firmly in position. When each glass or stand 
is filled I like to look it carefully over, and should there be any appear¬ 
ance of overcrowding remove a few flowers by cutting the stems asunder 
at the water level ; this is far better than pulling them out, as there is 
no danger of loosening and disarranging the others. Simple though this 
matter may appear it is well worthy of attention. In almost all 
arrangements it is important to have a good proportion of small light 
flowers cut with long stems, such as Spiraeas, Oncidium flexuosum, 
Masdevallias, Epacrises, Cornflowers, Gypsophila paniculata, and a host 
of others possessing similar characteristics. When only medium sized 
glasses are used flowers of a heavy nature are quite out of piaee except in 
the case of those which have a dish-like base. Where, however, mas¬ 
sive stands or epergnes are used, flowers of a bold type, so long as they 
are thinly arranged, should be used. 
Styles of Arrangement. 
Fashion in this, as in all other kinds of decorative work, is con¬ 
tinually changing ; but whatever the prevailing method of the day may 
be various other styles also must be frequently brought into use when¬ 
ever a series of dinner parties take place, otherwise monotony is pain¬ 
fully apparent. I have sometimes noticed on such occasions that a 
method of arrangement practised twenty years ago will, if worked out 
in the lightness and finish which commends itself to modern taste, and 
secure enthusiastic admiration. Tracing, for instance, is not nearly so 
much in vogue as it was ten years ago, yet if well done it is extremely 
effective; but then we use things which I consider are far better 
adapted for the purpose now, which may have much to do with its 
continued popularity. Coleus leaves laid so as to overlap each other 
were at one time freely employed, but to my mind they are much too 
flat and formal looking. Sprays of Honeysuckle, Weigela rosea, or small 
pieces of the feathery Retinosporas, represent aifar more effective type of 
material. 
At this season of the year, when there is plenty of coloured foliage to 
be had, a simple but unique arrangement may be made by covering the 
whole space available on the cloth with autumn foliage of several tints. 
Berberis aquifolium answers the purpose well. The points of shoots as 
well as single leaves should be used, because they will take off the 
flatness. A glass or epergne dressed with flowers and Fern should then 
be placed in the centre, and two smaller ones on each side if the size of 
the table requires them. White flowers arranged in little irregular 
groups wherever room can be found for them, with a Fern frond added 
here and there complete the arrangement, and if the work has been 
well carried out the effect produced is strikingly effective. Tins made 
1 inch deep, IJ inch wide, and fitted in a continuous design round the 
table, if filled with sand and arranged with Maidenhair Fern, small 
trusses of Pelargoniums, Chrysanthemums, or other flowers, look very 
pretty. The effect is still better if sockets are made in the tin at 
intervals of 2 or 3 feet, so that small glass trumpets may be fitted into 
