96 
THE LADIES' FLORAL CABINET. 
dree springing from the immediate base of cattleya leaves; 
the single spathe of that fine Anthurium Andreanum 
sticking out from the wall like a piece of red leather and 
with no more expression ; besides other combinations as 
unnatural. When I sat down to admire the very fine effect 
of the pyramid of lilies and lilacs my morbid dyspepsia 
had not been stayed, and I glanced around to find other 
faults, and at once came across a very classic pedestal and 
vase of a rich amber color, crowned with the Sunset rose : 
a deep pink bowl of fine texture traced with lotus flowers 
was surmounted with a dumpy group of Madame Cusin 
roses. The flowers in both these fine vases were flat and 
tame in effect. While I was regretting such an arrange¬ 
ment one of the assistants transposed the flowers, which 
was an improvement. I would say, that if I wanted to 
exhibit a very fine vase, so as to make the vase the objec¬ 
tive feature, I would place on the top, if nothing better, 
a common brick, or something impossible to detract from 
it; but if I wanted to show a fine vase of flowers, then the 
flowers could not be too expressive or too effective. The 
flowers shou/d be the crown, the crown should be the 
brightest. If the same amber vase had been filled with 
the largest and brightest golden flowers, such as some of 
the very fine golden chrysanthemums, the effect would 
have been delightful; or, again, if the pink vase had been 
filled with the brilliant carmine rose Anna de Diesbach, 
that would have been decidedly better. With the grim 
satisfaction of finding something to dispute, I followed 
up the vases to find a chrome vase filled with Marechal 
Niels, a chestnut-colored one occupied by that prince of 
dark roses, the Bennett. The effect was entirely lost 
(these I noticed were changed afterward). Two light- 
blue vases filled with La France were effective and 
beautiful, as was a brown vase with finely-colored 
Douglass' roses. Then some of the shapes of the 
vases were not suited for fine floral effects. The 
simpler the forms for the purpose the better for the 
flowers. 
The table decoration was elaborate and well intended. 
Here again I had food for fault-finding. That glori¬ 
ous group of roses was objectionable. As I casually 
sat down in a chair to look at my vis-a-vis three 
things were evident: either the table was too high, the 
chairs too low, or the stems of the roses too long; I 
could not possibly have seen my opposite friend any more 
than if a three-foot wall had intervened. Table decora¬ 
tors would do well to stick a pin here. Then the leaves 
of the flowers to be used as favors were lettered with 
gilding; the name “Mark Twain” on the foliage of a 
fine Jacqueminot was tawdry. If necessary, why didn’t 
they print in silver “ Mark’s ” name on a strip of crimson 
ribbon ? I wandered into the spring garden to find the 
hyacinths in rigidly square boxes stacked on plain tables 
others hidden away under benches. Could not these 
most charming spring beauties have been arranged on 
low platforms, with some characteristic groupings ? I 
thought so. By this time I felt I was becoming more 
and more dissatisfied ; so, rather than to make any more 
remarks, which might be construed as disagreeable, I 
concluded to close my notes, stating that they were not 
set down in malice; and, after all, I had much for which 
to be thankful. 
THE LATTICE-LEAF PLANT. 
D OUBTLESS most of the readers of The Cabinet 
remember having seen in many households, a few 
years ago, beautiful ornaments made of “ skeletonized 
leaves.” Leaves of trees, shrubs, &c., of moderately 
firm texture were placed in water and allowed to remain 
until the fleshy portion was entirely decayed, leaving only 
the framework of the leaf. These were carefully cleaned 
and bleached, then made into fairy bouquets and kept 
under bell glasses. They seem to have gone out of 
fashion now. 
But here we have a veritable .living skeletonized leaf— 
one of the gems of the vegetable world, called the Lattice- 
Leaf, or Lace-Leaf plant. Its botanical name is Ouvi- 
randra fenestralis. It is an aquatic plant, growing with 
its leaves entirely under water, never floating on the sur¬ 
face, and when very young they are of a pale yellowish 
green color and appear to be whole, but as they grow, 
assume the form shown in the engraving, and present the 
appearance of delicate lace-work of an olive green color. 
Under ordinary culture the leaves are about two inches 
wide and from six to ten inches long, but in the hands of 
a skillful grower they are produced from twelve to fifteen 
inches long and three inches wide. The most perfect 
specimens we have seen in this country were grown by 
Mr. James Hill, who is in charge of one of the finest 
gardens in Newport. The flowers of this plant are incon¬ 
spicuous, of a whitish color, borne on forked spikes after 
the manner of the aponogeton. They are useful only for 
the production of seed, from which the plant may be 
increased ; but this should not be attempted by amateurs, 
as the young seedlings require very careful management. 
The beauty of the leaves is best seen against a light 
•background, which maybe obtained by thrusting the hand 
or a piece of white earthenware into the water under¬ 
neath them, This lovely plant is not often met with in 
greenhouses, owing partly, I think, to the fact that, gener¬ 
ally where its culture has been attempted, it has been 
“ coddled ” too much in very warm glass-houses, espe¬ 
cially in winter. 
Some years ago, while on a visit to Chatsworth, the • 
famous gardens of the Duke of Devonshire, I saw ouvi- 
randras in fine condition, being wintered in a temperature 
suited to the growth of cinerarias. Mr. Speed, the head 
gardener, did not consider a high temperature necessary 
for the plant in winter. During the past winter our own 
plants have been kept in a greenhouse along with camel¬ 
lias and azaleas, where the temperature frequently fell to 
40° or 45 0 . They are nowin good health, and apparently 
none the worse for this cool treatment. A compost for 
growing the plant may be made of good turfy loam, with 
