THE GARDENING WORLD. 
December 15, 1894. 
248 
CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS. 
What shall we decorate our homes with at Christ¬ 
mas? The berried Holly is always dear, even if 
berries are plentiful, because it is a tree of slow 
growth ; and there are some who bid us leave the 
berries uncut, for they are the natural food of the 
birds in winter. Mistleto is always expensive : and 
there are the branches of evergreens, sombre in their 
way and wanting in life. Natural flowers grown in 
a high temperature are very dear, and not very 
lasting. Let the rich who can pay for them, have 
them. But what can the poor use on this universally 
recognised festive occasion ? 
To enable me to answer this question, I, a few 
days since, called at the establishment of Messrs. 
Osman & Co., 132, Commercial Street, Whitechapel, 
to see what there was in the way of preserved natural 
flowers and foliage, and also what of the same of an 
artificial character, and I am bound to say that the 
poorest among us, who has the means to buy, can 
purchase at a small cost, something bright and 
pleasing with which to gild and beautify the home. 
What astounded me was the marvellous growth of 
this industry of recent years ; forty years ago we 
had only dyed Gnaphaliums and feather grass, now 
there is an almost infinite variety of subjects, as I 
could see in Messrs. Osman & Co.’s Showrooms, 
How striking were the huge stems of the Uva 
Grass, as it is termed, from the Amazon; the long 
thread-like tresses fringing the leaf-stalks are now 
dyed in attractive colours—salmon-pink, canary, 
autumn tints, etc., the latter a delightful combina¬ 
tion. These noble plumes are invaluable in 
entrance halls, in nooks and corners of living rooms, 
etc., mingled with Pampas Grass, Bullrushes, and 
such like. The Pampas Grass, sold in enormous 
quantities, are seen in what is known as “ new art ” 
shades, chief amoDg them heliotrope, some fine 
shades of green, dark and light, magenta, pink, etc. 
What magnificent plumes comes to us from abroad, 
and they are seen in various sizes at various prices 
to suit all buyers. Then of other grasses there are 
forms of|Bromus, Oat Grass, the Harestail Grass, 
heads of Barley, dyed in various colours—green, 
yellow, etc.—Oats, Agrostis, Briza, some very fine 
Japanese and African species, one from the Congo 
being of a rich dark colour ; Eulalia, Erianthus, etc. 
not forgetting the feathered grass, Stipa pinnata, also 
dyed in various colours. Spikes of the larger grasses 
and bunches of the smaller can be had, either of one 
species or bunches in which several are together, for 
the show rooms are full of varied illustrations. 
Portions of the plumes of the Pampas, the Uva. 
and other Grasses are employed in small combina¬ 
tions, and exquisite dyed Sea Mosses come in most 
useful for epergnes and other receptacles. In the 
way of flowers the common Gnaphalium decurrens 
plays an important part, dyed in various showy and 
attractive hues. The white Cape flower, probably a 
Xeranthemum, is largely employed, especially as 
forming the groundwork of artificial wreaths for 
funeral purposes, and on the groundwork is placed 
various artificial flowers and foliages manufactured 
from some fabric, and generally capital imitations 
of well-known plants and flowers employed for 
making wreaths. Crosses, harps, anchors, and other 
designs are produced in the same way. The 
Helichiysum. dried so as to retain its colours, 
Rhodanthe, and Accroclinium make up the main of 
the natural flowers employed, with some of an 
artificial character. 
Among artificial flowers is that known as the 
Fairy, cleverly made of silk, and in form represent¬ 
ing a large quilled German Aster. This is a delight¬ 
ful new introduction, and it goes well in large and 
small bouquets in the various grasses, and also with 
sprays of natural foliage. Indeed, bouquets of all 
sizes and patterns are a remarkable feature, and their 
number serves as an index to the demand. Among 
natural foliages employed is that of a gigantic Selagi- 
nella, wonderfully preserved, and in a bouquet of 
natural dried foliage there were the background of a 
small Palm leaf, a Kentia or Areca, the Selaginella, 
Pampas Grass, Japanese and African Grasses, the 
Sea Oat, Bromus, &c., with fairy flowers. There 
was an excellent arrangement for a side table, and 
could be employed in various ways. The charm of 
this arrangement was nothing was dyed. But 
similar arrangements included dyed subjects, giving 
them life and colouring. A Hungarian bouquet was 
very attractive, being so elaborately coloured: a 
leaf of one of the .Chamaedoreas formed a back¬ 
ground, then came African Grass with others, some 
of them of a fine bronze tint, including pieces of the 
Uva; a very fine combination indeed. But no 
description can do justice to what was seen ; the 
illustrations are so numerous that it is difficult to 
make a selection. 
Baskets of all sizes and designs are also filled with 
the foregoing materials, and some tiny ones, made of 
fancy, cheap-like material or of raffia fibre, are well 
adapted for presents by those whose means are 
limited ; a few grasses, bits of foliage, a fairy flower 
or two fill these—bright little messengers of kind 
wishes and good-will when sent as presents. Little 
bouquets also, cheap in prices, can be similarly 
employed, they are made up in assorted collections 
all varying in character and all exceedingly pretty. 
Should anyone wish for suitable presents in glass 
or ware, they are here in great variety. Satin glasses, 
suitable for the culture of Hyacinths in water, 
and for cut flowers in summer—all handsome 
mantel-piece ornaments are here—patterns little 
dreamed of when the old-fashioned Hyacinth glass 
was in vogue. I was delighted with some tiny 
majolica vases in charming splashed colours, for use 
as button-hole holders when not used for the coat, 
and for taking specimen blooms. 
But the foregoing are only a few details of a grow¬ 
ing industry which has put forth giant strides during 
the past few years. It must give employment to 
many; and one charm about it is that a large 
majority of the productions are particularly well 
adapted to enhance the enjoyment of the Christmas 
season, gilding many a home with touches of bright¬ 
ness and beauty at a season when our human nature 
can probably best appreciate them.— R.D. 
FORSYTHIA SUSPENSA. 
The beauty of this plant in the shrubberies or upon 
walls in spring is incontestable. Occasionally it is 
transferred to pots and forced for the decoration of 
greenhouses and conservatories, where it gives much 
satisfaction on account of the numerous, clear yellow 
flowers it produces, as well as the variety it affords. 
Many cultivators prefer its congener, F. viridissima 
for this purpose on account of its more upright and 
compact habit which requires less space for the 
disposal of its branches. While acknowledging that 
this is the case, we consider that the stiffer or more 
rigid habit of F. viridissima robs it of that elegance 
which is so characteristic of F. suspensa. Those 
who have a stock of it would do well to lift a batch 
of plantsnow and put them in pots before the mildness 
of the weather urges them into partial bloom, thus 
spoiling half their beauty when brought into green¬ 
house. Large plants may be slightly tied in to 
reduce their bulk, but no pruning should be given 
till after the flowering is over seeing that the blooms 
are produced on the young shoots of the previous 
year. It is a native of China and Japan, and is 
sometimes seen under the names of F. Fortunei and 
F. Sieboldi, but these are only synonyms. The 
accompanying illustration shows the shape of the 
flowers and the floriferous nature of the young 
branches. 
-- 
HELICONIA AUREA STRIATA. 
Considering the splendidly decorative qualities of 
which the members of the genus Heliconia are 
possessed, it becomes a matter of wonder that they 
are not more frequently cultivated, no great amount 
of difficulty being experienced in their cultivation. 
The genus, which is closely allied to the Musas, con¬ 
tains some twenty-five species or thereabouts, all 
natives of the tropics of the western hemisphere. 
H. aurea-striata is certainly one of the finest 
members of the group, and as a stove fine foliage 
plant takes a lot of beating. The leaves are deep 
green in colour, beautifully striated with golden- 
yellow, in shape elongate ovate, cordate at the base. 
The stems exhibit the same green and yellow striation 
as do the leaves. Heliconias are best propagated by 
division of the rootstock when growth commences 
in spring. Small pieces potted off at this time, and 
placed in a warm stove temperature, grow away 
freely, and very soon become large handsome speci¬ 
mens. A compost of rich loam, to which may be 
added a little leaf soil and plenty of silver sand, 
seems to suit them best. They need, moreover, a 
liberal allowance of water during the growing period, 
although when growth has ceased for the season 
very little indeed will be necessary. 
A HOLIDAY TRIP TO NORTH WALES. 
An annual holiday of some sort has been set down as 
a necessity of these latter days. If it be so to those 
whose occupations are distinctly of a wholesome 
character, how much more is it to the town worker, 
who is immured during the greater part of the day 
between high walls and unwholesome surroundings, 
who is, in fact, subject more or less acutely to the 
ills that are begotten of confinement and vitiated air, 
to the work and worry incidental to modern life 1 
Accepting this dictum then as a positive proposition, 
how shall one spend the brief respite from duty and 
toil ? 
How shall he disentangle himself from his home 
environment ? The answer will, of course, depend 
upon his means and temperament. If he be fond of 
society he will favour those places where others 
love to congregate ; but if he be inspired with a love 
of Nature he will choose a spot where Nature 
dwells. The cheapness of transit and the facility of 
despatch enables every man to please his bent; but 
whate’er we do— 
" Our acts our angels are, or good or ill, 
Our fatal shadows that walk by us still." 
— Fletcher. 
But we will, if you please, elect to have a good 
guardian angel to hover over us for this our journey, 
and assume, without further parley, that we have 
arrived at what military men would call “ our base 
of operations.” 
We will choose Llandudno, then, not because it is 
a fashionable resort, not because it is always en fete , 
not because the place and the people have a recherche 
air, but because it affords a good centre from which 
to radiate, and otherwise commends itself to the 
major portion of the family. So while the latter 
love to linger where the ripples foam the shore, 
where the music swells its sweetest notes, where the 
dresses dance before the dreamy gaze, or where, in 
a word, fashion and folly contend for the mastery, 
we will betake ourselves to the mountain in quest of 
vegetable gems, relics of the past, or those thousand- 
and-one subjects of interest, which can only be 
found away from the turmoil and strife of the 
madding crowd. 
We will, if you please, leave gardens and green¬ 
houses behind for the nonce, and go in, this time, 
for Nature pure and simple, for cultivated plants 
are, after all, but a living herbarium. Let us, then, 
cross the " Happy Valley,” where our artificial 
black brethren disport themselves to the amusement 
of the small fry, and ascend 
The Great Orme’s Head. 
As, however, the vegetation on this noble promon¬ 
tory has been recently recited in The Gardening 
World, I must limit myself to a review of the most 
salient features only, as I do not consider this paper 
would be complete without some reference to its 
botanical and geological treasures. 
Well, then, to take things inversely, we will visit 
the old antiquary, and ask him to show us some of 
the odds and ends which he has laboriously got 
together. Unfortunately for us, he is more Welsh 
than otherwise, so we shall have to be content with 
a partial understanding, and to make up for the 
deficiency by a more vigorous use of our visual 
members, without which we should be totally 
demoralised. In all limestone regions, caves are said 
to be abundant, and to represent some ancient level 
of drainage ; so here we have one which we are 
invited to enter, and which we are informed, was 
cleaned out and made habitable, by the old fossil him¬ 
self many years ago. When he took up his 
"diggings” here—in more senses than one—the 
Lord of the Manor thought proper to tax him for the 
accommodation to the extent of four shillings per 
annum ; but when he got nicely settled down and 
was doing a roaring trade, this avaricious landlord 
increased his rent to the tune of four pounds. But 
with all this, he—the antiquary—was not an il 
penseroso; for, judging by his demeanour, he was not 
at all dissatisfied with his position in life, or the 
powers that be. 
Well, just inside this dungeon dwelling was a 
workshop, where lathes and lapides were strangely 
intermingled. On the other hand, glass cases had 
been requisitioned for the more precious particles, 
and contained, amongst other things, human and 
animal remains of great antiquity. A little further 
forward, a well of considerable depth was shown us ; 
* A paper read before the Ealing Gardeners' Society, on 
November 27th. 
