Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-02-22
HOMES.
The Beauties Of Foliage Plants
For The House.
EFFECTIVE PLANT SETTINGS
How 20 Make Them as sman Ex.
pcnse-Suitable Colors For q Young
Lady's Room - Drawing Room Ac.
cessorics.
Written for The EVENING stan

| ~% all the pretty customs which add
YfN|St.1N to the beauty and grace Of house
iIs that of having growing plants about
1kE>f,NU'is one Of the most attractive. With
Aa~ in the past few years this fashion has
prevailed wonderfully, and the fancy is still with
us-has even grown in the season just past.
Everywhere in drawing rooms and halls. in
niches alcoves and bay windows there are lovely
| "green things growing" Cut flowers are always
delicious to sight and smell, but are too feeting
in their beauty and too expensive for all to in
dulge in them. Blossoming plants are peasure
while in bloom, but seldom decorative after that
period is past The old-time flower stand
with its graduated shelves, with only room
for one flower pot on top, used to be the
glory of sitting room and the Joy Of its
mistress. The plants as well their
arrangement are totally different from
anything of that kind. Those whose attraction
is in their leaves, and so always in the suitable
stage to call forth admiration and pleasure,
are the favorites now. Palms bear of the
palm! Their graceful beauty makes them the
first choice for decorative effects. Small palms
are not much cared for either, and it takes the
| growth of a number Of years to bring one to q
size that will make it suitable for ornament
Palms are expensive Injuries, too, as it is diff
cult to make them live and thrive through q
summer here. The safest plan is to take them
back to the green house for hospital treatment
through the warm weather. The coal gas that
comes through so many registers is the worst
spoiler of beauty in plants. There are many
pretty foliage plants, however, besides
palms, which last long time in good
condition. A little common sense and
observation will oftentimes counterbal-
ance the lack Of botanical knowledge
in the care of house plants Palms in their
| tree state grow in tropical countries in sandy
| desert places sometimes, so naturally they do
| not require the amount of water that ferns do
| for instance. Their natural home is along the
| banks OF streams, and to keep them in good
| condition they should be watered well every
| day. The florist generally says to pour water
| on the roots, but lady who has been success
full with them always sets the ferns-especially
| the delicate maiden hair variety-into water
| for some time that has had the chill taken off.
The dry, hot air of houses is 80 different from
| greenhouses that more water is required for
| them to flourish well. As naturally they or ow
| from damp ground with this treatment they can
be kept long time as fresh and green as pos
| slble, while tiny new sprays will spring up
| chiefly about the old roots Nothing can be
prettier or give more pleasure in the way of
| small plants than maiden hair ferns, but they
| are generally mismanaged and so die soon after
DeluS DrOuSnt lntO mouse.
PRETTY SETTINGS FOR PLANTS.
pretty plant must have pretty setting be-
fore it is ready for display. Either the pot
must be set into an ornamental jar or some
| thing must be devised to conceal the ordinary
| earthen pot in which it grows. The jars of
different wares are in great variety and unless
very large are quite low-priced. A substitute
| for such an outside jar is made by tying cotton
batting around the pots, fastening it with a
ribbon sash as it were, which winds around the
| flower pot, and is tied in q square bow and
ends in front. Still another device is to make
| use of the ever-serviceable India silk which is
certainly a boon to the modern housekeeper.
| The idea is quite ingenious, and one can often
| use small left overs" of silk in such way as
| this. The form is a small tin bucket minus the
| handles. Any size can be similarly used, but a
| small one with fern is more suitable for the
| silken covering than large one with plant of
coarser foliage. A circular piece Of cardboard
little larger than the bucket is covered with
silk Cor silesia would do) and to this is sewed a
silk bag. Two rows Of shirring are put in the
lower edge OF the silk, ~ inches apart, and
the bag is attached to the pasteboard by both
these shirrings, thus forming a little puff of
silk, setting out from the bottom somewhat
like a saucer, holding the pot in effect. At the
top the silk is turned over to form frill,
| which may be raveled to make 'fringed edge
or it may be edged with lace. Cords draw the
bag up at the top, which tie on each side with
dainty case would be a charming gift at any
time, especially to an invalid.
AT ENGLISH DINNER TABLES
a little growing fern is set at each corner and
it is pretty idea and good one to import;
and such cover seems well suited to inclose
them. Ferns will grow in smaller pots than
almost anything, so they are a good choice, but
ine-mosses or little spreading vines are also
good. most economical form could be got
NV fol fhn
| in or the smaller ones that have enshrined the
| savory French peas. The silks will be equally
effective whether figured or plain. the ones
| with designs scarcely needing lace to set them
off, For Easter remembrance these would be
especially pretty, choosing for that occasion
some plant in the perfection of bloom. Some
| spring-like hower-for instance. of yellow with
the outside holder covered with yellow silk and
| fine white lace edging the frill. plant with
pink flowers would he pretty, with its silken
case of pink and white striped silk with a fringe
as the finish to its frill, and soft pink silk cord
to draw 1t up. Already, with Lent scarcely be-
gun, ones mind rushes ahead to Easter and its
festival season, which has come to be gift-ex-
changing occasion only excelled by Christmas.
YOUNG LADYs ROOM.
A young lady, who is contemplating change
of color in the decorations and furnishings OF
her own room, asks for suggestions in regard
to the same, the only things settled being
that a combination of buff and blue shall be
the cOlors and that there must be a corner
divan spread with white fur rug and heaped
with pillows covered with any and all tones of
buff and blue. In fabrics these colors, well
blended are to be found in maybe the greatest
variety in cretonnes; also in Morris velvets one
sometimes sees lovely blending and design An
hour-glass table, with blue upholstery and deep
valance of cream lace, would make one pretty
object, well a useful one Another larger
table might have q square spread of either
plain or figured goods. finished with tassel
fringe in cottons, which correspond with the
spread itself. Any pieces of furniture about
the house that would suit in shape, If not in
condition, could be confiscated and painted
buff and upholstered in blue. ANY such fancy
painting can be ordered at various places
paint shops or furniture stores-while car
penter with directions given as to size and
proportion, will make the foundation for hour.
glass stand and divan.
IN THE INDIA SILKS
and stamped batistes are many designs in the
colors desired that could be used where light
} draperies would be effective. Several yards
carelcssy caught up here and there would
make pretty mantel drapery, curtains for the
windows or hangings for dressing table, One
of the pillows for the divan might be made for
the sake of variety in circular form. Any size
one may wish is the guide as to circumfer.
ence. The two colors in ponSee silk or sateen
are arranged in four sections, gathered ali