The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-07-22


 wide low platt<rs with bordering of ferns or green moss. In their arrange ment for home adornment 1t is well to remember that the smaller and more delicate posies are prettiest for the desk and the dressing table. while Tor decorative purposes as for a wedding or 4 reception larger flowers lend themselves better to larger effects. Do not fear that you will lose fiow- cut. the more you will have. As a rule. a plant exhausts its possibilities Of bloom if its flowers are left to wither and 1t speedily runs to seed. Fresh flowers for the table and the drawing room may be had every day for the picking at this season, the wild deni- gems of the field taking rank with the finest cultivated specimens when brought in doors and tastefu11y ar ranged. No flower should be kept in house after it has lost its freshness. stale boquet hints too strongly of decay and death.
 If the daughter or sister whose priv ilege 1t is to keep the house beautiful with flowers will change the water and wash the vases every morning and will clip a tiny bit from every stem. she will find her toll repaid by the endur- ing qualities of her treasures. Flowers last much longer in freshness when kept in a cool place over night. Those who cut them in the country to send to a city flower mission should do so in the dusk or just after sunset. They should then be packed in paper boxes, should be laid lengthwise on "a bed of wet ferns and should have sheets of wet tissue paper lightly folded over them. Pains should be taken to ship them by express so that they will arr rive at the hospitals. the city missions or the homes of the poor and sick Tn the early morning. They will reach their destination in good condition and words cannot tell the joy they will carry with them.
 One day in January when New York was like St Petersburg I found myself in the palatial home of Madame Mil lionaire. Every, surrounding bespoke ease. luxury and entire indifference to the cost of anything great or small. magnificent array of bride roses on center table and a cluster of rare or- chids in a corner moved me to admira- ton and delight.
 How fortunate you are," said. "to have so many flowers in your home on so dreary day"
 Oh" said the lady, nothing is sim pier. You only have to give your Aor- ist standing order and he will keep you supplied all the year round"
 Not so many of us can afford to give an order so generous and so unlimited to florist, but most of us may have 6 few blossoming plants ip our homes in winter, and we may enjoy the pleasure given by cut flowers if we provide for 1t beforehand. If you mean to have flowers in your home next winter. you should lay your plans in August Be- lect in that month the plants that shall bloom in December and Jan- uary. Pot them now and let them have a long period of rest before they are again expected to cheer you with bloom.
 Avoid tawdry display in vases. Nothing is prettier than clear white glass when you wish to reveal the beauty of stem. Dull jars of gray, cream or dark green tints are pretty If you wish to mass the splendid autum flowers. The vase and flowers must be in harmony. The vase should be sub- ordinate to the flowers and not call att tention to Itself. The common mistake of supposing that a vase to be beauti- full must be expensive is made by those who forget that the most graceful shapes are found in pressed glass and dull pottery, and that here beauty Is a thing of taste rather than of money.