176 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST 
[ August, 
covered with moss. The ordinary kind sold at Covent Garden Market, at 
Id. a-bundle, answers the purpose very well, but it should be fresh and green. 
Cut off two-tliirds of the moss with a knife, leaving only the green tops of 
the bundles, wet these, and place them all over the sand, and be careful to 
cover the rim by spreading out the moss. There are other mosses which 
are still more beautiful, and can be placed in the sand in a growing state, 
together with small Ferns, and these will last a long time. These are 
plentiful in the country, but the supply in London is rather uncertain. 
Choose whatever flower you desire to form the leading idea in the arrange¬ 
ment. Large flowers, such as Water Lilies, Pseonies, Rhododendrons, 
Dahlias, full Roses, Camellias, &c., are best adapted for the larger-sized 
glasses, and six of these flowers will probably be enough for a single glass. 
The effect must be assisted by mixing in the foliage of the flower used, 
together with Ivy leaves, Ferns, small Reeds, and any other graceful foliage 
at command, all which serve to break the flat line. The stalks can easily 
be passed through the moss into the sand below it. A few taller flowers 
and buds should be grouped round the bottom of the stem, Considerably 
higher than the others, their stalks resting in the clay or sand, and a branch 
of small Wood Ivy, or other creeper, should be twined round the glass stem 
nearly to the top. This should be fastened to the stem, with a turn or two 
of light covered wire. The hanging baskets at the top should be very lightly 
arranged with small flowers and Ferns, such as the Maiden-liair, whenever 
it is procurable, for this elegant plant is lighter and more beautiful than 
any other foliage, then place a few in the small glass dish at the top of the 
stem to overhang the glass scrolls. For the smaller-sized glasses, more 
delicate flowers should be used. 
These hints are extremely general, and only intended for persons who 
have not been in the habit of dressing flowers. They are equally applicable 
to the glass-handled flower baskets for which the first prize for drawing¬ 
room decoration was granted in 1862. 
Servants should be warned not to lift the glasses by the stem. They 
should be taken up by placing the hands underneath the lower dish, and 
he baskets should invariably be taken off and carried separately. With 
hese precautions there is no fear of breakage. 
ALPINE STRAWBERRIES FOR TABLE DECORATION. 
ERRY-bearing plants have been very much sought after of late years 
for table decoration, and in our anxiety to procure novelties we may 
perhaps sometimes have overlooked really useful materials already in 
our possession. I think this may be truly said with regard to the 
Alpine Strawberry, for what can be more interesting and pretty for 
