1032 
THE GARDENING WORLD, 
December 12, 1903. 
Readers' Competition—continued. 
L. pardalinum, L. testacenm, L. candidum, and Alstroemeria 
aurea and A. aurantiaca, Incarvillea Delavayi, Tritonias, Mont- 
bretias, Gladioli, Liliagos, Fritillaria Meleagris. These and 
other subjects were, of course, arranged according to their 
heights and colours. I should have said that the border has a 
gravel walk running along the front of it, and this was edged 
with good-sized rough irregular stones, to act as a dwarf retain¬ 
ing wall, and immediately behind the stones, and in order to 
partly cover them we planted such rock plants as Aubrietias, 
Arabis, Phloxes, Gheiranthus, Myosotis, etc. Behind the rock 
plants and in front of the dwarfest of the subjects already 
enumerated we planted clumps of Sweet Violets, Snowdrops, 
Crocuses, Scillas, Chionodoxas, Leucojums, Grape Hyacinths, 
etc. 
Incarvillea Delavayi has not given very satisfactory results as 
yet, but we are giving it another trial. 
We intend substituting by degrees such things as Tigridias, 
Belladonna Lilies, etc., for some of the commoner things with 
which we started. Such a border as I have described involves 
some initial trouble and expense, but for those who have to deal 
with soils similar to our own, it would pay them to take the 
extra trouble, which, of course, does not require to be repeated. 
In addition to such a compost as I have named, I would strongly 
recommend a certain proportion of turfy loam and peat, where 
procurable. Where not procurable in quantity, loam and peat 
might be used in direct contact with the bulbs, as was done in 
our case. 
Dinner Table Decorating. 
Tliis subject demands almost every day attention from many 
gardeners. Among the many subjects' connected with the craft, 
probably in some establishments one of the most difficult to 
please is the art of table decorating. Oftentimes what a gar¬ 
dener may think a beautiful' arrangement, his employer, if a 
lady, might describe as quite the reverse. In small establish¬ 
ments this subject may not be studied much, but in the larger 
ones a good knowledge is almost indispensable. The operator 
in the first place must have a certain amount of taste and know 
how to blend colour, and also how certain colours look under 
artificial light. 
It is not always necessary to have choice flowers to obtain good 
effect. In the summer months there is abundance of choice 
in the open border, and in the winter months there need b© but 
little difficulty in any ordinary-sized garden in obtaining good 
material. I will not enter into the selection of materials in this 
short article, as I could not possibly do anything dike justice* 
to it in' such a limited space, so will confine myself to just a 
few important points, which must always be observed by the 
would-be decorator. 
In the first place, it should always be borne in mind, in a 
strictly floral decoration, that the flowers should b© the adorn¬ 
ment and not the receptacle 1 ; so when using vases choose always 
those of the plainest workmanship, with a good firm base, with as 
little leg as possible, as they are not easily toppled over. Those 
elegantly design©! and brttfiantlv coloured should always be 
avoided for dining tables, they are better suited for the drawing¬ 
room. A good selection of various sizes is essential, as they 
give one a means of displaying flowers to the very best effect. I 
have often heard the complaint that, owing to the decorations, 
it has been quite out of the question to be able to indulge in a 
free conversation across the table. Now, to avoid this, let) us 
suppose, for instance, we have a silver bowl to fill with Roses 
or some such flowers. If oar© is not taken it will be an easy 
matter to entirely obscure the view and debar cross-table con¬ 
versation. What I advise is never to let such arrangements as 
these stand more than 15in. from the cloth, and then there 
will be no obstruction. Tliis we may term as the low-table effect, 
which has been in vogue a good deal of late. But, on the other 
hand, should these low arrangements be objected to, and it he 
desired to use something taller and lighter, such as an epergne, it 
is necessary to have the centre from 15in. to 20in. from the cloth 
as open as possible. The same, when using plants. Select 
either those that do not stand more than 15in. from the cloth or 
standards with foliage or flower, as the case may be, that do 
not hang lower than 20in. from the* cloth. I have taken the 
central pieces merely as an illustration, but the same care is 
necessary at other points about the table, with a good floral 
arrangement for the centre, as above described. 
I prefer dispensing with vases altogether, as they elevate your 
flowers too far from the cloth, and the effect is often lost; still, 
I do not like the old style of cutting flower heads to lay flat 
amongst the tracing. They can be made to have a very natural 
appearance by fixing half needles at intervals about the table 
and using a stem of two or three inches ; with a little of its own 
foliage and the soft base of the pithy stem pressed down upon 
them, they appear to be separately and mystically standing erect 
without any support. They have a far more natural appearance 
than when cut to lay flat upon the cloth. Specimen blooms of 
Roses, Chrysanthemums, Tulips, and numerous others can be 
used very effectively. 
The practice of placing a piece of muslin or coloured silk on 
the table does not enhance the arrangement of flowers from an 
artistic point of view ; but if the centre of the table be prac¬ 
tically covered with some light greenery, it will have a much 
more pleasing effect- A style adopted in some establishments, 
which affords abundant scope for the exercise of taste, is what 
is termed cloth work, which means flowers and foliage worked 
to some design upon the cloth, and some most pleasing arrange¬ 
ments can be made, for, with a modicum of taste there is less 
danger of colours clashing, as a band or curve of some green 
foliage would bring the colours neutral. 
'There are abundance of epergnes, miniature arches, bridges, 
and other fantastic shapes for holding flowers for table decorating 
to suit all tastes, but unfortunately they do not always cor¬ 
respond with other ornaments which may have to be placed upon 
the table. G. H. Cook. 
Fruit Tree Planting. 
There is much practical and sound advice given from time to 
time in the gardening papers, arid also in catalogues issued by 
many of the leading nursejymen, and the golden rule to be 
chiefly observed for the successful cultivation of all fruit trees 
is rightly placed in the forefront, viz., avoid deep planting. In 
my opinion too much) cannot be said in favour of this golden 
rule, which should be pressed home to all growers and planters. 
In fact, the nearer the surface the roots are kept the greater pro¬ 
bability of success will be the result. 
I once knew a gentleman who was a practical and keen culti¬ 
vator of fruit trees, but especially of Apples and Pears. He 
made a large orchard of these, and in doing so formed large heaps 
or moulds on the surface of the land, and in these he planted 
the trees. The idea had much to recommend it, but I need 
hardly say that appearances were very much against it becoming 
at all popular. 
The holes for the reception of fruit trees should also be well 
prepared, and always be made larger than generally is the case, 
so that the roots m'ay be laid out at their full length. The fore¬ 
going is another good rule which may be more faithfully carried 
out than it is. As soon as convenient after planting is done, a 
good mulching of partly rotten manure may be given with much 
advantage. It keeps out frost in the winter, and retains moisture 
in summer. Trees requiring stakes should b© attended to at 
the earliest date, to prevent them being shaken about by winds, 
etc. The after management will consist in properly attending 
to pruning, and I would urge the* importance of summer pinch¬ 
ing or pruning. If discretion in this matter is well attended to, 
it will be more conducive to the formation of fruit buds, and 
will, to a certain extent, relieve winter pruning. 
I might enlargerupon the subject by treating of diseases and 
pests which attack fruit trees, but my object in writing tliis 
article chiefly to assist beginners and press upon the memory 
of all would-be planters of fruit trees the necessity of observing 
specially the golden rule of avoiding deep* planting, toe adop¬ 
tion of which will bring pleasure and profit to a large number. 
J. T. 
The Coronation Tree that was planted at the old historic 
crossways at Cart Gate, Stoke-sub-Hamdon, Yeovil, last year, 
did not grow, and on the 28th ult. Master W. Wakley and 
Master Edward Hebditch planted a young Wellingtonia in its 
place. The old man Boon, who lives close by, hauled the earth, 
and Mr. Gold, the Brock’s Mount gardener, superintended the 
planting, with the hope that this time it may take root and 
grow. Many of the school children watched the planting. 
*** The prize last week in the Readers’ Competition was 
awarded to “ R. Rowles ” for his article 11 On Digging,” 
page 1007. 
