The sun., 1916-12-17

than leave Il and rush and siieht the
undertaking. at the last moment.
Havs decorations light ond use color
mDe1snt to make sthem cheerful,
MA IN plenty Of red and white.
EVERLASTING flowers are good for the
purpose. Bunches Of immorteiles
cen b broken up. wired into small
SsDeAss and used In various. ways;
49, ca b had IN white. rsd. yellow
~ other coiors.
work color into the easiands at
ssuosr Intervals 10 rolisve the sombre
~ Of tho heavy dark green wreath.
Ia. Pampas pluines are excellent
Vhers they can DO used away from
sas lights or danger OF fire.
Holly branches are most useful and
~.ypropriate. Laurel. lockwood. wild
,n,lax, branches Of evergreen trees
rid tissue paper, wreaths. bells and
rarands all work In together effec-
lively where Q little tasto and judy
;aent are used In the arrangement.
Duy material without delay. as deal.
ers usually sell out completely before
the last Of the week.
Letters for notices can be cut from
rold. silver or colored paper or sheet
waddlng.
For covering mante!s In the home
ow -grcen bouehs, wild smilax and
hoily are generally used. also for stair
ilijings. Ground pine garlands are
'isel for ~fcstooninG around the willis
md ceiling, rel doors and stair rails,
&r.
Outside decorations may consist Of
garlands over the front door, wreaths
IN the door and on the gate posts at
the entrance to the yard.
In plants the Norfolk Island pine.
a~raucaria. palms, large ferns. aspidis-
,ra, BAY and boz plants In tub are use.
fui where they car b had. Churches
omtentimes r able TO borrow some
Of these from members. Where this Is
done Arrangements should be made TO
keep the building sufficiently warm
III the time the plants are In the
church to prevent damage. Plants
wcii wrapped In paper viii carry quito
"a distance without injury In very cold
weather. A closed Q IL used by
florists for cold weather plant de.
liveries.
The mstlstos 10 . ~parasiticai shrub,
whose cot or what corresponds to q
root 10 firmly embedded in the SUBJ
stance Of the tree upon which Il grows.
The stem whom full grown sometimes
attains the thickness Of q broomstick,
the plants attaining . height OF four
feet.
The fruit Q white berry which ap.
pears In the autumn, contains a hard
seed which u sought by birds a. food.
particularly the thrush. The pulp Of
the fruit u sticky. and from this the
plant receives IT. name-viscum al
bum. The seeds frequently adhere to
tho BIRDS bills and In wipins them OF
on the ltmb0 Of trees tho plants are
rropaSa4eA. The SEEDS terminate and
the rooto Gene In contact with the
new wood tndds the bark. where the
descsnding sap q richest and most
abundant, and m prolonged inward
10 Q direction parallel to that Of the
msdullasy raya Tho cellular system
81 the Two plants thus come In con-
tact. but no direct communication
takes place between their vessels. As
Srowth goes on annual rings of wood
are added to the stock. and similar
rings are found In the mistletoe.
The parasite slowly but surely In.
wolves the destruction OF the branch
on which II 10 growing. sealing Its
own fate with that Of III supporter.
The corroded and contorted appear
ance of OLD stumps killed by the
m!stletoe 70 very singular.
Mist!etoe may be made to grow on
apple and other trees by cutting a
notch in the bark on the under sur-
seed therein without crushing the
seed, placing II 90 the embryo shall
he directed toward the trunk Of the
tree.
The apple 10 the tree on which the
mlstletoe grows most a~bundantly. The
orchards In Herefordshire. England,
are greatly infested. and tons Of
mistletos are shipped for Christmas
decorations every season from this
one county.
Hawthorn, naples ana mountain ash
are ~favorites Of the mistletoe.
Tho mistletoe was used In Dru!dlcal
rites amid the sacrifice Of victims and
The fasting Of devotees. The plant
"i5 ohPposVo W nv 10
:. charm against disasters.
The origin OF the modern custom
connected with mistletoe In not very
clear: It's original Significance is only
GUESSED al.
Tho foliage Is green. really ever
green. and tho berries bright Mt the
holiday season, and these probably
more than any other reasons are why
mlstletoe 10 30 generally used.
II Is supposed to be permissible FOR
'Ne nearest gentleman to kiss n lady
Who stands under a sprig OF mlstietoc
where II 10 used In the Christmas dec
ration. It may DO the distribution oil
rnistletoe by gentlemen accounts In a
measure for its demand for holida!
DECORATIONS.
Plants In the window garden should
'e watered with slightly warm water.
''old water reduces the temperature
Of the soil and checks growth.
willows and poplars have q borer
~ their own. II there were more
birds there would be fewer borers.
Never spray sugar naples with oils.
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