New-York tribune., 1912-03-17

, by the tokono-ma, or section Of the draw
ing room, where the housewife Is likely 10
make her best display. This is panel,
decorated with art subjects, so arranged as
TO suit the tastes Of the, guests. These are
usually a painting, vase, flowers anu
other art pieces, known to be the favorites
OF the guests. Flowers are the princlpai
decoration OF the home. To the japanese
they are more than mere blossoms. They
have souls With them the japanese work
wonders.
Discussing this subject, Miss Mary Aver
III, an expert. who will lecture on flower
arrangement every afternoon at the exhi-
ton said the other day.
In arranging the flowers the Japanese
aim to follow nature. They try TO place
them I'm the same position that they would
take i'm nature When an American would
simply put branch, say, Of cherry bios
SONS. into vase In an upright position
Japanese would place the branch In
horizontal position, such as it would occupy
In growing.
by using special receptacles and sup
ports the Japanese make flowers last
twice as long as We do here in America.
To prevent flowers from dropping We Jam
many stems into the neck OF vase, while
| the japanese support the stalks with
sticks BY iammng the flowers into a
vase in our way prevent the stalks
from taking up oxygen from the water,
| since no air gets into the vase. The Jap
anese has learned that flowers feed on
oxygen I'm the water as well as in the air
and consequently they a'"ange the flowers
| I'm an open receptacle, where the air can
come In contact with the water.
| In arranging the flowers in a recepta-
! Gle the japanese trim the leaves off the
! stalks below the water and for a short dis
! tance above the water. This gives the
flower the appearance of growing. We
! make no attempt TO trim the foliage of
the stalks and the result is that the
leaves are left under the water, where
! they decompose and shorten the life OF the
! flowers
| 'Ike-bana. as japanese flower arrange
ment is called. brings flowers within the
reach Of every one. The American woman
| maglnes that to accomplish any effect at
| all she must have a quantity OF expensive
I flowers. Nothing short Of dozen roses
/ satisfies her The japanese woman will
take one rose and produce an artistic ef-
feet
] knowledge Of ike-bana Is an, essential
part ~ the education of every Japanese
| woman. Without q she Is considered III
bred. American women could study this
art to their material benefit II would
/ teach them simplicity and get them away
/ from the complex life they lead. II would
| give them perfect calm.
! The Japanese tell stories by the ar
rangrmemt OF flowers They will take a
/ piece ur bamboo and by arranging flowers
| IN # In certain ways will reproduce d ship
. !n calm or u a storm. The Japanese
are rich in folklore and they express their
mythology by their flower arrangement.
Perhaps the most interesting adaptation
Of Hover arrangement is that uf keeping a
: calendar For this purpose they use Il
/ crescent moon. glass receptacle meeting
at the points and always huuC. The day is
told by the length ~ streamer and IN"
month by the position of q stgeamer in tn"
moon For the FIRST ten days Of the month
/ the stlcHmer hangs out long IN the front
/ and tu the left A short piece Is taken on
/ each day until the eleventh day when
. new streamer Is put in. long and 10 the