House and Garden 
In point of material, if one species is used, 
say for the trilinear arrangement, it may be 
either plant or tree; but if two species are 
used, both plant and tree must be included. 
In the latter case, what is called sandwiching, 
that is, placing a tree stem between two plant 
stems or vice versa must be avoided; Japan¬ 
ese, in this point, as well as in the previous 
one of shape, preferring the dash and force 
“DEW-SPILLING LEAVES’’ 
FACING-BRANCH 
COLOUR-SANDWICHING ” 
“ EQUAL-RANGING ” 
“ CROSS-CUTTING : 
ERRORS TO BE AVOIDED 
of asymmetry to the composure of its oppo¬ 
site. This order, so entirely strange to our 
own native feeling and so unattainable by 
our imagination, has yet its justification in 
meaning, and can doubtless come to seem to 
us as beautiful as its alternative scheme. 
A further instance of the consummate 
reach of Japanese art-sense appears in the 
demand that the ike-bana group shall be so 
placed as to make an 
agreeable combination 
with the kakemono or 
painted scroll near which, 
in the parlor alcove (toko 
no ma), the flower group 
is regularly placed. And 
a like demand is made 
even in relation to any 
object of the garden out¬ 
side that may be visible 
arrangement through the open win¬ 
dow. Surely, the force 
of esthetic impulse can 
go no further than it has 
done in these exactions, 
response to which may 
well require the long 
training given it in 
Japan. Finally, not even 
the moral influence of 
ike-bana has been over¬ 
looked, for the Japanese 
claim that its practice 
conduces to serenity of 
temper and release from 
worldly cares and ambi¬ 
tions; and no one ac¬ 
quainted with the Japan¬ 
ese can doubt that it 
really justifies the claim. 
It is evident that some 
manipulation will be re¬ 
quired to bring stems into 
the desired shape. I his 
is done with the two 
thumbs and forefingers 
placed closely together, 
with a force just short of 
breaking. The harder 
stems are shaved with a 
knife at the points to be 
bent, or are softened with 
boiling water, or heated 
“ FLOWER-STEPPING 
128 
