The Penn's Grove record., 1889-09-28
THE FLOWER GARDEN.


nIA42 o1
THOSE who study the art Of home
decoration with flowers and plants
should gather in late summer and au-
tumn time such materials as will keep
for winter use, for when the many How
eYs have disappeared we are all Obliged
to make the very most OF what little
color remains. Any one who is not
familiar with the numerous wild gras-
SEES will find immense stores awaiting
their notice. I cannot, in o limited
paper. discuss the merits Of our British
grasses, but readers of intelligence will
6uickly CLEAN ideas as to the varieties
most useful for decoration by turning
to the pages Of some illustrated book
ON botany. think it is best to gather
grasses about July or August; earlier
kinds. such as tho common holcus,
which is very pretty and most usefui,
must be sought for in moving-time. L
have, in q previous paper, alluded to
the value OF the tufted aira. Gather
plenty Of it. There is another grace
ful delicate little grass, the common
mellick (Meitica nutans), which Is my
favorite Of all grasses. 1t mixes ad-
mirably with garden bouquets. The
common quake-gras is useful, and so
are wild oats, which give grace and
elegance to any large collection or ar
rangement. They should be gathered
before they are quite ripe, as if laid to
dry, the glumes will open OF them
selves, and reveal and retain their rich
brown color.
Our many beautiful sedges-more
akin to flowers than grasses-will keep
--E-.n - ~-~1o-a AND fhAu ahnuld
be sought after, and kept in readiness.
Bulrushes, teasel-heads, the capsules OF
the thorn-apple (7horn-aPpte dotura),
the downy seed-pods of the wild Gle
mats, and the lovely cotton-grass with
its heads of s~ilky-white durable down,
are to be recommended.
Added to these, get o and ichens,
and hunt the fern world through for
the most brilliant and ~gorgeously paint
ed autumn fronds, which will retain
their color through the winter. Imust
also mention autumn leaves of other
kinds too numerous to ~particularise. 1t
is said that their bright colors may be
preserved by dipping their stems IN
melted yellow bees'-wax. When requir-
ed for use, a little ingenuity may ac-
complish much; artificial stems msy be
added to the preserved leaves to mix
with winter flowers and greenery.
Just here / must also remark that if
you possess short-stalked flowers they
may be heightened by q little manage
ment, the addition of q sort Of wooden
leg" an artificial stalk attached with a
bit of wire; but the living stem must be
allowed to touch the water in the vase
it is to occupy.
AUTUMN FLOWERS.
SunHowers are plentiful in the au-
tumn. / have a s~tone-colored jar which
I use for these flowers; q couple OF
WHITE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES AND BRAoKEN.
them placed therein with their own
green leaves is all the arranging they
receive, and they usually occupy a
bracket in q dark corner. They r
suitable to fill any niche not too prom
inent to the eye, and are most effective
from q distance. This same crock
pleases me when filed with autumn
tinted ferns-the bracken chiefly, Us it
takes the prettiest hues-and a god
| spray of well-berried mountain ash.
Sunfiowers are also charming objects
to fill any heavy blue vase; you may
place with them a few fronds Of Pteris
fern. Sun1owers with hawthorn
branches covered with the s'haws" are
very pretty in any massive, deep bowl.
The old red Glove carnation comes in
autumn, and I love it by itself, or with
~maidenhair fern and white phlox in
termixed. White phlox and scarlet
geraniums, with ivy, ferns, and hello
trope, in a high vase, make a charming
arrangement. Every iower-lover should
be the possessor of n or two lightly
made wicker baskets. 1 do not adj
vocate the small ones; I would not care
for one less than twelve inchesfrom end
to end. and it should have a very high
handle. A person with an artistic eye
will choose a prettily-shaped one.