The morning times., 1896-01-26
Odd Harmonies
In FIowers
COMBINATIONS THAT ARE DE-
yISED FOR EFFECT.
Designs for Dinner Tables and
for Wear on Street aud
in Evening.

Few OF those who entertain al this sea-
son can afford 10 give carte blanche To a
florist for his beautiful waFss yet there
IS no need To be dscour. g..si. II orchids
| are out Of reach, liiacs. provided they can
be obtained in the season, are cheap, and
1t Is TO be remembered that every flower
has beauty OF its own and. if properly
treated, Will furnish grateful results in
obedience TO u tasteful mind and skilifui
fingers.
What would the Scotch peasants say
II they could see lovely misty plants Of
heather, which sweeps over their inoors
FAR as eye can reach, selling on Firth
avenue and IIroadway at Sa and 50 a
plant? How they would laugh at the
idea of this plaDI-so common TO them
for decoration. Yet the lovely bead-lll;e
bossoins, with their. unge OF purple OF
pink, are among the very latest crazes
in the floral world. Tied and festooned
with dgli rose satin ribbon. they make
perfect centerpieces, and sprigs Laid at
each plate with the menu card, barring
Scotch motto and i thistle. have become
very popular as Il new floral device for
dinners.
Forna! sci pieces have gone out OF fash
ION, hcing suppianted by graceful u nd nat
ural arrangement
One OF the most faslriona ble and bea uti-
ful methods OF table decoration is, basket
fiii'Ti and completely covered with tie lux
uriant and graceful 1Jlency feru, whose one
end contains Il bunch OF purple cattleya-
orchids. or the fayorite green and brown
cyprepe'iium, resembling the Old Jack
in-thc-pupit, and the other cluster of
roses These should be arranged grace
!uily, and either an orchid or small bunch
OF the same roses tied with a sat IN ribbon
OF the identical hue, should be laid al each
plate. or grouped in similar basket, and
handed to the guests at the close OF the
dinner.
When the cattleyas are used alone, the
asparagus fern is preferred, though the
Inddc;i-hair fern and the faleucy fern are
also admissible.
The great rule III table decoration is to
Keep strictly Ia one or two kinds OF flowers.
using their own foliage whenever possible,
or something thai harnohizes with the
chosen blossoms in sentiment. form or cCior.
Many flowers have their fushionl biz. as
>"ciate flowers. For Instance, with the
rnse pink Carnations the florists alyya IS
combine the delicate white sprays OF sleyia,
which seem Io throw veil OF beauty over
the stiff blossoms.
II is easy enough TO initiate some of the
latest London combinat lions, which are:
Mauye orchids, gold roses, and dark ivy;
pink roses and green orchids, salmOn-coi-
cred geraniunIs, while roses. ard ivy; wa
{ er lilies aud pink roses with the simple rose
stems for green; water lilies and grasses;
irisa nd grasses; iris and copper beech leaves;
piuk Eladioii and grasses; pink peOnies,
white marguerites, aud pink-veined Gala
diam leaves; caitleyas in Benares gilt bowls:
Yellow roses and lilies of The valley: white
lilac aud daffodils; white lilies and SCARLET
amaryllis vii h the green spikes the latter;
syrirga, heliotrore, ard maidenhair fern;
flame-cuioTed tulips and white spirea; pan
sizes. Gl"ire de Dion roses, and mignoneite
with ferns; purple heather in silver vases,
and charming combin3 ion is OF poppies,
either scarlet or pink, with green wheat.