December  8,  1898. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
443 
mansion  fine  baskets  of  that  beautiful  trailing  Asparagus — defiexus — were 
suspended  from  the  roof,  the  sides  of  the  house  being  gay  with  Chrys¬ 
anthemums  and  Begonias,  a  well  flowered  plant  of  Ixora  javs.nica 
fioribunda  being  also  a  conspicuous  object. 
Violets  aro  splendidly  grown,  both  in  pots  and  frames.  Tho  favourites 
are  two  grand  single  ones — Victoria  and  California.  The  plants  were 
producing  flowers  in  abundance,  of  wonderful  size.  Marie  Louise  is  also 
grown  in  considerable  quantities,  but  the  modern  single  varieties  have 
become  dangerous  rivals  in  the  race  for  popularity  which  the  doubles  once 
monopolised. 
A  November  day  is  not  the  best  time  in  tho. year  to  write  notes  of  a 
kitchen  garden.  Signs  of  energy  and  good  culture  were  here  also 
apparent ;  plenty  of  useful  “green  stuff’1  being  ready  for  the  pot,  and  largo 
neatly  trimmed  beds  of  Asparagus  showed  that  this  delicious  vegetable  is 
in  great  demand.  Old  fruit  trees  were  being  uprooted  round  the  walls  to 
make  room  for  vigorous  youngsters,  and  many  bushes  had  already  been 
planted  round  the  sides  of  the  walks.  Such  is  a  brief  record  of  the  work 
which  is  being  ferried  out  by  Mr.  Chandler  at  Coton  House  Gardens. 
Such  work  redounds  to  tho  credit  of  a  young  head  gardener,  and  is 
another  proof  that  the  honour  of  British  horticulture  is  safe  in  the  hands 
of  the  rising  generation  of  gardeners  in  those  instances  in  which  tho 
kindly  hand  of  cncouragemont  is  held  out  by  generous  employers. 
Both  the  “squire’’  of  Coton  IIouso  and  the  Hon.  Mrs.  Arthur  .lanes 
take  a  keen  delight  in  their  gardens,  and  watch  tho  progress  made  in 
various  departments  with  the  more  interest  because  they  understand  so 
well  tho  difficulties  as  well  as  tho  pleasures  of  gardening,  and  are  ever 
ready  to  help  forward  the  projects  of  their  energetic  gardener. — II.  D. 
NEH1NE  ELEGANS  ALBA. 
The  Nerines  that  produce  bright  red  or  scarlet  flowers  are  extremely 
popular  with  many  growers,  as  they  aro  so  valuable  for  autumn  and 
winter  flowering.  Of  late  many  new  varieties  have  been  raised  by  Mr. 
H.  J.  Elwes  of  Colesbourne,  who  is  gradually  broadening  the  range  of 
colouration.  But  while  those  referred  to  are  exceedingly  effective,  it  is 
very  desirable  that  the  white  one  named  above,  and  portrayed  in  fig.  7G, 
should  be  included  in  collections,  as  it  is  very  chaste  and  attractive.  It 
was  introduced  some  six  or  seven  years  ago  by  Mr.  T.  S.  Ware,  Totten¬ 
ham,  and  is  a  native  of  South  Africa.  It  is  almost  hardy,  but  it  is 
advisable  to  afford  it  the  protection  of  a  cold  frame  during  the  winter  to 
prevent  tho  leaves  being  injured.  Like  the  many  other  Nerines  it  is  of 
extremely  easy  culture,  but  it  is  most  essential  that  it  shall  have  a  distinct 
season  of  rest. 
FLORAL  DECORATIONS. 
I  HAVE  read  and  re-read  the  remarks  relative  to  an  article  under 
the  above  heading  by  me  in  the  Journal  of  Horticulture  of  September  29th. 
I  say  remarks,  because  I  can  scarcely  call  it  a  criticism,  as  Mr.  Strugnell 
(page  375)  takes  exception  to  one  paragraph  only,  in  which  I  say  foreign 
foliage  should  not  bo  used  for  flowers  in  table  tracery',  and  ho  asks  if 
Ferns  are  not  to  bo  so  used,  for  what  purpose  aro  they  grown  ?  Also, 
what  would  I  advocate  to  associate  with  spikes  of  Odontoglossums, 
Oncidiums,  and  other  Orchids,  and  what  would  bo  used  to  clothe  the 
nakedness  of  deciduous  Oalanthes. 
I  presumo  Mr.  Strugnell  means  the  employment  of  tho  Orchid  spikes 
in  glasses  or  vases,  and  not  for  table  tracery  on  tho  cloth.  I  am  inclined  to 
think  that  even  the  most  extravagant  floral  decorator  would  scarcely'  lay 
on  the  cloth  such  costly  and  fragilo  flowers,  however  beautiful  or 
appropriate  they  might  be.  If  the  flowers  alluded  to  were  placed  in 
suitable  receptacles  the  use  of  foliage  might  bo  entirely  dispensed  with. 
I  believe  this  continual  use  of  what  is  termed  elegant  foliage  has  its  origin 
in  custom,  and  not  because  it  lends  any  additional  charm  to  the  flowers, 
and  it  is  this  use  of  greenery  that  has  led  to  the  overloading  of  dinner 
tables  which  has  frequently  shocked  people  of  rofined  taste. 
I  may  perhaps  be  allowed  to  quoto  a  paragraph  from  my  article  on 
the  arrangement  of  flowers  in  the  house,  which  appeared  in  the  Journal 
of  Horticulture  on  June  10th,  1897—“  Cut  flowers,  like  plants,  should  be 
classified  as  either  characterised  by  beauty  of  form  or  beauty  of  colour. 
Those  possessing  the  former  should  be  arranged  so  as  to  show  individual 
beauty,  not  crowded  or  massed.  If  any  greenery  is  used  it  should  be  of 
the  lightest  description,  and  not  in  over-abundance.  Flowers  only 
distinguished  for  purity',  delicacy,  or  brilliancy  of  colour  should  be  massed, 
and  are  better  without  greenery.  If  any  foliage  is  used  it  should  not 
tower  above  the  flowers,  as  by  so  doing  it  detracts  from  their  distinguish¬ 
ing  qualities.” 
Most  Orchids,  and  all  flowers  that  Nature  (the  great  teacher)  pluces 
on  erect  stems  or  long  arching  racemes  well  above  tho  foliage,  should  be 
placed  in  vases  or  glasses  with  a  narrow  orifice,  whether  such  receptacles 
are  cylindrical,  tubular,  or  bottle-shaped  at  their  base.  If  deciduous, 
Calanthes,  Nerines,  Belladonna  Lilies,  or  the  beautiful  and  brilliant 
Haemanthus  Kalbreyri,  were  used  as  a  central  bank  to  a  dinner  table,  it 
would  become  necessary  to  allow  them  to  rise  from  a  groundwork  of 
Ferns  or  Selaginella. 
Fern  lovers  will  be  able  to  put  their  plants  to  use  in  other  ways,  apart 
from  using  them  in  a  cut  state.  In  fact,  a  beautiful  table  might  be  made 
with  different  varieties  of  Ferns  alone,  or  associated  with  red  berries  or 
flowers. 
In  tho  Journal  of  Horticulture ,  April  29th,  1897,  at  the  end  of  tho 
article  on  the  arrangement  of  houses  for  effect,  I  say — “Plants  flowering 
without  leaves  ought  to  be  arranged  rising  from  a  bank  of  greenery.” 
To  take  each  comment  of  Mr.  Strugnell’s  as  it  appears  on  page  375.  Ho 
says  taste  i-  \  t  uniform  or  developed  on  any  fixed  principles,  and  that 
it  is  .a  quos:.c;n  f  giving  satisfaction  to  the  employer  and  also  to  oneself  ; 
lie  thinks  fast:  becomes  a  stern  necessity  when  it  is  exercised  daily,  and 
is  of  opinion  that  continued  variations  are  necessary  to  success  ;  and, 
further,  tho  person,  he  says,  is  yet  unborn  that  can  teach  another  what  is 
really  beautiful.  Age  and  opportunity  aro  the  coigns  of  vantage  on 
which  he  rests  his  assertions.  If  taste  is  not  based  on  certain  fixed 
principles,  then  the  writings  of  msthctical  teachers,  from  the  ancient 
Greeks,  including  Socrates.  Plato,  and  Aristotle,  down  to  the  modern 
teachers  Leesing,  Alison,  Burke  (our  immortal  orator),  Hogarth,  and 
Fig.  76.— Neuise  elegans  alba. 
Ruskin,  have  been  in  vain.  But  I  say  that  unless  the  attribu  e  of  foim 
and  colour  beauty  are  clearly  distinguished  in  the  mind  of  the  decorator, 
an  artistic  effect,  if  produced  at  all,  is  the  result  of  mere  accident.  Where 
decorations  are  daily  carried  out  they  may  be,  in  the  eyes  of  an  artist, 
anything  but  tasteful — unless  Mr.  Strugneil  considers  continued  variety 
to  be  one  of  paramount  importance. 
Again,  this  craving  for  variety  is  responsible  for  much  unsatisfactory 
decoration.  We  stand  before  a  noble  piece  of  architecture — one  of  our 
old  cathedrals,  and  aro  transfixed  with  admiration,  because  combined 
with  the  intricacy  of  exquisite  ornament  is  harmon}-,  uniform'd}',, 
symmetry,  and  proportion.  It  is  like  a  jewel,  although  in  different  parts 
it  seems  an  undivided  whole.  So  with  a  dinner  table — though  composed 
of  different  parts,  its  colour  and  design  should  be  an  undivided  whole, 
Whatever  I  have  written  bearing  on  this  subject  in  the  Journal  has 
been  done  not  in  any  spirit  of  fault-finding,  nor  to  teach  those  of  years  ot 
experience,  but  to  point  out  to  those  who  are  young  in  years  and  of 
small  experience  the  line3  that  artists  follow.  The  success  they  achieve 
depends  alone  upon  the  power  to  observe  and  feel  whatever  is  grand  and 
beautiful  in  the  world  around.  But  this  knowledge  is  one  of  imperceptible 
growth— slow  but  sure.  Beautiful  surroundings  make  beautiful  lives, 
and  ho  who  has  high  ideals,  and  seeks  for  beauty  as  for  hidden  treasures, 
will  surely  not  go  unrewarded. — F.  Street. 
