Waterbury Democrat., 1902-06-09
FIREPLACE FERNERIES.
An Attractive Way of Scre ening aH Opening That Is Sometimes
 UnsiEhtIy.

Of number of excellent plans for screening or decorating a fireplace none is more sensible or ornamental than that of turning it into q sort of fernery, says the St. Louis Republic. Ferns, ivy, swamp lilies, periwinkles and two or three varieties of Orien- tai iris love to root in cool dark, moist places, and properly drained and planted fireplace garden can be made just as attractive as one in a window. One woman, whose cot tage drawing-room is provided with very old-fashioned square brick fireplace, in which the antique crane still swings, and above which the narrow mantel shelf is set very high, resorted to very simple measures for beautifying it during the summer. She bought three copper pots, such as the florists hang in their windows full of flowers. These she had filed with earth and planted with green things that love the shade, and stringing them along the crane she effectively screened the smoke-black- ened cavern where the flames had leaped all winter.
 Many of her friends have since had polished steel cranes fixed in their modern fireplaces, and on these they have hung brass kettles and bowls, and one went so far as to have her bric-a-brac dealer hunt up for her a true, old-fashioned three-legged iron crane pot.
 Another resourceful housekeeper, who has had large experience with house plants, found last winter that English ivy would grow gratefully if allowed vase of fresh water every day in which to keep it's green toes moist. With the coming of spring she dared not pla.1t her ivy outdoors, knowing that it could not withstand the whitening heat of our climate. Accordingly she bought two boxes, made of small, green tiles, filled them with rich earth, and larger portion of sand, and taking two well-grown ivy sprays from the water, she planted them on either side of her hearth.
 The ivy has already grown up and down, and promises to throw rich green veil over the whole fireplace, frame the mirror above it and do away with the need of bric-a-brac at that point. As hers is city house, where, on her husbands account, she spends the major portion of her sumner, she finds the curtain of green a most de- lightful and refreshing ornament.
 The florists, who are always quick to accept good ideas, have come to q realization of the fact that something is needed for fireplace decoration i'll summer. Accordingly the fireplace screen has been introduced. This is two or three fold, has an antique green iron frame handsomely wrought and twisted. In the leaves of the screen the ribbons and tendrils of iron form series of brackets, into which large and small green tile pots fit. In the pots all manner of trailing green things are rooted, and their garlands and long tendrils, weaving as they grow through the wrought iron fret work, form delicate and effectual screen for the whole hearth.
 By another equally pleasing ar rangement the florist will measure fireplace and build special floral hearth box. He makes this box of beaten brass or copper, or tiles, or painted wood, and roots it in iris, and lilies, and green up-standing things, that will shut off the view of the grate or the gap left by the removal of the fire dogs and logs with wall of color and verdure that is delightful orna- ment to any room.