What may be called a golden rule in dinner-table decoration is, always to have some distinct feature in each arrangement. If a design is worked out in colored leaves, let them be used in such quantities and in such a way as to give color and effect to the whole. If cut flowers are used for filling glasses or epergnes, let them form the prominent feature of the arrangement, and sometimes let plants, either large or small, supply color, grace, and beauty. One of the most popular ways of decorating a dinner table is, to use rather tall trumpetshaped glasses with projecting arms, which support smaller cups or trumpets around the central one, and a rather wide dish-like base. The dish should be arranged with the largest flowers, using as much as possible those that show to the best advantage when the eye looks down upon them. Allamandas, Dipladenias, upright-growing Roses, Chrysanthemums, and Camellias are all good for the purpose, with a few sprays of some light material to take off the stiffness; but it is not necessary to make the base particularly light when you have a tier of smaller glasses above. The arrangement of these should always be extremely light and graceful; nothing approaching stiffness or heaviness is allowable.

The flowers used should be of the lightest description, such as Bouvardias, Jasmines, Begonias, Plumbagos, Ericas, and Epacrises, with a few grasses intermixed, and a light fringe of Adiantum or Pteris serrulata, to which might be added a few sprays of Fuchsias, Begonia fuchsioides, or any other small pendulous flowers. When the above plan is well carried out there is nothing to surpass it for elegance and beauty. It is also a style that finds great favor with the judges at many of the best exhibitions.

A very pretty effect can also be obtained by using small plants or Ferns placed in glass, silver, or china ornaments, and dotted about at regular intervals on the table, with one large plant and a few smaller ones tastefully arranged in a bowl for the centre. There are numbers of plants suitable for the purpose. I will mention a few that I have found particularly so : Pandanus Veitchii, P. utilis, and P. elegantissimus, Dracaenas terminalis, ignea, and congesta, Crotons angustifolius and Chelsonii, Asparagus plumosus nanus, Cyperus alternifolius and variegatus (struck from tops), Grevillea ro-busta, and Caladium argyrites. Aralias Veitchii and gracilis are often used on account of their lightness, but one great objection to them is the dull color of their leaves, which do not look well by artificial light. The best Aralia I know for the purpose is A. leptophylla, which has the same style of growth as A. Veitchii, with leaves of a fresh green color. - Journal of Horticulture.