March  22,  1900. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
247 
the  ground  covered  with  leaves  which  have  been  carelessly  plucked  off 
at  picking  time,  it  is  evident  that  the  tree  has  been  partially  denuded 
of  its  clothing  before  the  proper  time.  Therefore,  in  picking,  endeavour 
to  preserve  both  buds  and  leaves  for  the  sake  of  another  season’s 
crop. — (Paper  read  before  tJie  Beading  Gardeners'  Association  by 
Mr.  T.  Neve,  Sindlesham.) 
stands.  A  couple  of  such  pedestals  and  a  few  tall  Kentias  or  Chamas- 
rops,  with  masses  of  flowers  beneath,  would  convert  into  a  perfect 
fairyland  many  stately  halls  in  the  great  homes  of  England  which  at 
present  lack  such  striking  features,  although  they  are  really  as 
necessary  as  suitable  furniture  when  the  object  is  to  secure  a  fine 
effect. 
A  Few  Hints  on  House  Decoration. 
Modern  decorative  work  has  undoubtedly  been  developed  in 
fine  art,  and  to  carry  it  out  successfully  the  artist  must  take 
consideration  the  size  and  form  of  halls  or  rooms  to  be  embellished, 
so  arrange  the  material 
at  command  as  to  give  a 
due  sense  of  proportion 
between  prominent  plants 
or  groups,  and  the  rooms 
in  which  they  are  disposed. 
Iq  a  large  lofty  hall  it  is 
quite  impossible  to  secure 
such  desirable  results  with¬ 
out  the  aid  of  fine  bold 
Palms,  or  some  means  of 
elevating  smaller  ones  to 
the  required  height.  Pedes¬ 
tals  surmounted  by  large 
massive  vases  are  just  the 
things  required  to  help 
the  decorator  out  of  such 
difficulties,  and  for  that 
reason  I  trust  the  accom¬ 
panying  illustration  (fig.66) 
will  prove  both  interesting 
and  useful  to  readers  of 
the  Journal  of  Horticulture, 
and  not  unworthy  to  adorn 
the  pages  of  so  prominent 
a  periodical.  When,  as  in 
the  case  of  the  illustration, 
the  pedestals  are  of  marble, 
their  great  weight  keeps 
them  firmly  in  position,  no 
matter  how  heavily  ladened 
the  vase  may  be ;  when,  how¬ 
ever,  pedestals  of  lighter 
material  are  used  there 
should  be  some  means  of 
securing  them  to  the  fioor, 
or  to  a  larger  base,  or 
accidents  will  occur. 
The  arrangement  given 
is  formed  entirely  of  foliage 
plants  and  Perns,  without 
the  addition  of  a  single 
flower  ;  but  by  paying  due 
regard  to  that  point  which 
is  so  necessary  in  deco¬ 
rative  work — viz,,  variety 
of  form  in  those  materials 
employed — the  effect  pro¬ 
duced  is  bold,  striking,  and  interesting  to  mte  in  detail.  The  central 
plant  is  a  rather  tall  one  of  Drac^na  Veimhi;  beneath  it  are  a  few 
plants  of  Cocos  plumosa  and  Kentias,  v^h  Aspidistras,  Perns,  and 
Smilax  to  complete  the  arrangement,  ame  of  the  smaller  plants 
are  turned  out  of  their  pots,  and  all  arejpacked  firmly  in  moss,  yet 
the  foliage  is  abundant  enough  to  comp3tely  hide  the  moss.  Por 
special  occasions,  should  the  group  need  listening  with  flowers,  these 
can  be  used  in  a  cut  state,  by  fixing  th^  in  tin  tubes  of  various 
lengths,  and  thrusting  the  tubes  into  the  boss.  A  much  better  effect 
can  be  secured  by  using  flowers  in  the  alove  way  than  by  relying  on 
plants  growing  in  pots. 
The  position  of  the  pedestal  is  also  wjrth  noting,  as  it  is  placed  at 
the  corner  of  a  massive  table,  where  something  seems  to  be  required 
to  give  relief  and  tower  upward  in  the  lefty  hall  in  which  the  pedestal 
When  arranging  cut  flowers  one  generally  has  to  make  the  best  of 
I  whatever  vases  are  at  command,  but  these  are  sometimes  by  no  means 
I  well  adapted  for  displaying  flowers  to  advantage,  and  the  light  and 
I  pretty  effect  so  necessary  is  then  difficult  to  secure.  When  rather  tall 
to  a  *  arrangements  are  required  for  placing  in  prominent  positions,  large 
into  !  trumpet-shaped  vases  are  generally  used,  and  although  they  are  quite 
and  !  suitable  for  such  purposes,  it  is,  I  think,  wise  to  sometimes  have 
flower  stands  of  different 
■■  W 
Pig.  67. — Bamboo  Stand 
Flowers 
AND 
forms  for 
variety. 
the  sake  of 
Some  which  are  placed 
on  the  market  are  exceed¬ 
ingly  well  designed,  and 
enable  a  good  decorator 
to  produce  delightful 
arrangements  with  com¬ 
paratively  few  materials. 
Pig.  67  illustrates  a  French 
Bamboo  flower  stand 
dressed  with  flowers  and 
foliage.  These  can  be 
obtained  in  sizes  ranging 
from  IS  inches  to  6  feet. 
In  the  top  of  the  Bamboos 
tubes  for  holding  water 
are  inserted ;  there  are 
generally  two  tiers  of 
tubes.  The  flowers  em¬ 
ployed  in  the  arrangement 
depicted  are  Callas,  Daffo¬ 
dils,  a  long  spike  of 
Odontoglossum,  and  a  few 
other  Orchids.  Long  shoots 
of  Cyperus  alternifolius, 
fronds  of  Adiantum  for- 
mosum,  A.  concinnum, 
Phlebodium  aureum,  and 
Daffodil  leaves  supply  suit¬ 
able  greenery,  and  a  few 
trails  of  Smilax  and  Ivy 
give  a  light  draping  to  the 
base  of  the  stand.  Occa¬ 
sionally  we  hear  a  ‘  ‘  wail  ” 
in  the  horticultural  Press 
in  regard  to  the  alleged 
artificiality  of  flower 
arrangements,  and  the 
writers  bemoan  the  fact 
that  flowers  are  not  more 
often  associated  solely  with 
their  own  foliage.  I  fear 
their  criticisms  will  not 
alter  present  methods,  for 
the  simple  reason  that  a 
lighter  and  better  effect 
is  invariably  obtained  when  green  and  other  foliage  are  associated 
with  flowers,  as  well  as  some  of  their  own  leaves. 
To  illustrate  my  point  let  us  take  as  an  example  flg.  67.  In 
that  arrangement  if  I  had  adhered  to  the  practice  the  critics  think 
correct,  the  only  foliage  used  would  have  been  a  few  Orchid,  Daffodil, 
and  Calla  leaves,  the  lightness  in  the  arrangement  illustrated  could  not 
then  have  been  secured,  and  the  interesting  variety  in  the  form  of  the 
foliage,  which  helps  so  much  to  make  a  distinctive  photograph,  would 
have  been  absent,  and  I  think  much  needed.  By  all  means  let  us, 
when  possible,  arrange  flowers  with  some  of  their  own  foliage,  but 
whenever  the  correct  taste — which  comes  with  experience — shows  that 
the  addition  of  foreign  greenery  gives  a  more  charming  effect,  let  not 
the  critics  deter  us  from  giving  that  artistic  touch  which  will  command 
instinctive  admiration. — H,  D. 
Foliage. 
