The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-12-07
The Home.
Wo1nan's Department.

=. ~ " A.

A bare Hover pot is always an ugly
d1sagreeable sight especially if it i
used in the dining table No matter
now beautiful the plant may be its
setting is sure to mar it's decorative
value If some sort of harmony as tc
general surroundings is not taken into
account The habit that some people
used to have of putting their plants into
old tin cans, old china bowls, or per-
maps cigar boxes, always seemed an in
dignity to the plant. Often when |
have seen such | have thought if I were
the plant would sulk and not grow, but
would look scraggy and disreputable
like what was given me to stand in
By this | do not mean that all flower
receptacles should be fancy and decora-
tive, the ordinary clay pot, if kept fresh
and clean, is good enough for the con-
servatory. window shelf, l do think,
though, that the covering over or hid
ing from sight the bare pots of plants
we want for the table, or in fact any
place where they may be used for decor
NsiOiA, oNuo ioi 6ClS W tuolI decorative
value Everyone cannot afford to buy
jardinieres of silver, brass or china. ac-
cordingly. for such many less expensive
modes of decoration have to be resorted
to. Simple white tissue paper will max
a covering that is exceedingly attrac-
tive for some plants. For instance, a
low pot of maiden-hair fern works up
most beautifully in this way. The pa
per is folded and twisted about the pot
in such way that it shows no piecings
or tyings, it being simply one soft mass |
of snowy white beneath the graceful /
waving green above. The effect as a |
whole is so pure and simple it is really
elegant. The crimped Japanese paper
mats which have been SO largely used
in various ways give a bright effect to
room or table. They appear to the
best advantage, however, if placed
around pot of any stiff straight stand
ing plant, as their spikey corners go
well with the erect branches. They
should be tied with pretty bow of rib
bon. the ends of which should not be
long enough to droop, but stand I'D in
a rather stiff, perky way. The crimp
ed japanese paper that comes in sheets
ana IN all shades of colorings, can be
used even more effectively, l think. than
the mats because they will make sim
pier, less fanciful coverings. A friend
sent me white primrose set in shall
low pot that she had covered with soft
foids or moss green Japanese paper.
Inc simplicity of the whole thing from
he pure delicate flowers to it's setting
IF green pleased my artistic sense
greatly.
Another covering that is pretty and
simple, can be made out of a piece of :,
heap surah silk with a deep hem at the :
OPP, which is gathered into frill by
unning in broad elastic. The bot
ON is gathered in the same way, only },
eaving smaller frill The pot stands
within.
For grasses make a long bag out of ~
n odd piece of brocade. Gather ar -
ne top and bottom though the latter ",
altering is drawn in quite tightly, and r.
ne deeper the frill at both ends the
reuter- the effect This filled with
ampas grass, rushes and palms. looks
extremely pretty when hung against a 81;
Green, or in some odd corner. Again M
lose who are naturally ingenious and or
ever with their fingers can easily make nc
charming corner jar out of a big os
leet of stiff cardboard It must be mr.
ued together into a cylinder and then br
'vered with either pretty cretonne, yo
sateen, of pattern as like china as m;
Another covering that is pretty and ge
mple can be made out of piece of W;
cap surah silk with deep hem at the as
D, which is gathered into frill by lit
ming in board elastic. The bottom ca,
gathered in the same way only leav- vo
g smaller frill The pot stands I'D
thin an,
For grasses make long bag out of a ma
d piece Of brocade. Gather at the top =
bottom, though the latter gathering
drawn in quite tightly, and the deeper 4
; frill at both ends the prettier the q
ect. This is hiled with pampas grass,
hes and palms looks extremely =
|tty when hung aeeinst screen, or
S7S 10