Daily globe., 1882-09-30
Hanging Baskets.

This graceful and convenient form
of decoration increases in popularity
from year to year. Many city home
which would otherwise be destitute
of floral adornment is frightened by
them, and in the country among peo-
pie of taste and refinement they are be-
coming more and more common.
NdteJ3dZ-The baskets themselves
are made of wire, terra Gotta or wood.
The first named is the most usual, bat
the small terra Gotta baskets are ex-
tremely neat and elegant for bay Win
dows OF other interior situations.
They possess with the rustic wood
baskets the additional advantage over
the wire of retaining moisture longer,
and thus suffering less. from neglect of
frequent watering. The wood baskets
generally consist of q turned wooden
bowl, covered over with twigs and
roots TO give it rustic appearance.
When this kind of basket is used, care
should be exercised to see there are a
few holes in the bottom to permit
drainage. The matter is scarcely ever
attended to by the makers, and florists
who sell them ready filled with plants
are apt to neglect it. The consequence
is that the basket soon becomes water
logged, and the plants contained in it
die of wet feet. Where provision for
drainage has been neglected until after
the basket is filled, holes may be bored
from the outside, and the dropsical
condition relieved. The wire baskets
are first lined with thick moss and af-
terward filled with earth, into which
the growing plants are set. They
must be watered every day, as the dry
ing air penetrates them OH every side.
A new style of wire basket is pro-
vided with q zinc reservoir beneath,
which holds q weeks supply of water.
These are convenient but expensive.
Selection Of PlantS.-The central
portion of the basket should be filled
with upright plants of a neat dwarf
habit, and around the edge those of
creeping or trailing growth. But
while basket filled with any bright,
thrifty plants of suitable habit of
growth, is thing Of beauty, it is far
better to make such combination of
color as to present harmonious living
picture. The cOlors not only Of the
flowers, but also of the foliage en-
ployed, should be studied with view
to this effect. Our greenhouses funish
such variety Of plants with orna-
mental foliage-crimSon, golden, white
bronze, purple and silvery- gray-that
almost any desired effect OF color can
be produced independently of the BIOS
SONS. When less complicated style
is preferred, basket may be made
beautiful by its very simplicity. In
such cases Il single plant is sufficient,
provided it makes up 10y its luXuri-
ance of growth for the lack Of variety.
We saw very attractive basket re-
Gently, which was completely wreath
ell with the rich foliage and hrlght
nlauve-colored flowers of al ivy ger
anium. A plant Of Sazifrasg s:,rmen-
tosa, commonly callel awberry
Geraniuin, set in the center OF small
basket, will soon cover the surface
with leaves, while the long tendrils
and tassel-like stolons droop graceful
" down the sides. Another useful
plant in this way is the Convolvulus
mauritanicus, q single specimen of
which will soon make the basket
rich mass of bright green foliage and
blue flowers.
Country BasketS.-No one need be
deprived Of hanging baskets OH ac-
count Of the remoteness from green
mouse plants. No baskets are produc-
cd more exquisite than can be made by
iudicious use of the plants found in
the forests and fields. The basket it.
self may be made OF woven twigs, the
end of an old keg covered over with
rustic branches and roots, OF the steel
springs of Il superamuated hoopSkirt.
IhcI for tillins, the forest furnishes
abundance of moss, rich, light soil and
ferns, partridgeberry. saxitrages, and
all the immense variety Of other plants
which love to nestle in its shades OF
seek its open sunny banks.
xgn