An oval table for ten guests. — In the centre a
large low bouquet of Cape jessamine, spiraea and
maidenhair fern ; four or eight white china tubs,
four inches square, with miniature ferns in them ; four
low white china figures holding bonbons and dried
fruit. The dinner and dessert service and the orna-
ments were all of pure white Limoges china.
A broad table for twelve guests. — The central
object a well-grown indigenous fern ; on the table-
cloth wreaths of stag's-head moss, and at intervals
EXAMPLES OF TABLE DECORATIONS. 41
bunches of heather. The wreaths were so arranged
as to frame in the candlesticks and two large dishes,
containing grapes and greengages. The same table
with wreaths of club moss and bunches of mountain-
ash berries. These decorations are hardly to be had
out of the Highlands or the North of England.
A long table for a large party. — A variety of silver
ornaments interspersed with china flower pots, in
which branches of mahonia were so arranged as to
look like miniature trees sprinkled with snow.'
Long table for fourteen. — Lighted from above.
Dresden china dessert dishes of different heights, and
gold ornaments. In the centre, and occupying the
greater part of the table, a silver gilt basket filled
with a mass of camellias on moss, and dressed with
sprays or single flowers of the long-stemmed winter
violet {Czar). Bouquets of camellias beside the
* couverts ' for all the ladies.
Table for eight to ten. — Lighted from above.
Centre, Dresden figure supporting a basket heaped
with fruit and standing in a ring of violets, three inches
wide. Two flat trays, sixteen inches by ten, filled
completely with violets, except in their centres, where
round low dessert dishes with fruit were sunk. At the
four corners of the table flat circular bouquets of
violets about two inches wide.
Varieties of this fiat decoration. — Violets with
inner rings of yellow primroses or of scarlet geranium ;
^ To do this, when the foliage is arranged take a fine-rosed watering
can, and dew the whole with ver}' weak gum water. Allow the water
to drain off a little, then apply the finest white flour, and afterwards
the finest sparkling salt, which must be dried before using.
42 EXAMPLES OF TABLE DECORATLONS.
also grey blue plumbago with inner rings of pink
geranium ; or primroses with inner lines of blue
hepaticas. The flowers should be without leaves,
and kept as flat and smooth as moss.
Table for ten to twelve. — Flowers in narrow cr}'s-
tal trays arranged in the form of a St. Andrew's cross,
which stood out from a circle round the foot of a
gold cup. Branch lights and dessert dishes. The
flowers used were the large non-scented syringa (mock
orange) fringed with every shade of leaves, that at
the points of the cross being dark copper-coloured.
Down through the mass of the syringa was drawn a
sharp line of scarlet geranium. At the four corners
of the table semicircular trays filled with the same
flowers.
Round table for eight. — Centre branch candlestick.
Small rainbow-like circle round the candlestick, and
second larger ditto just inside of the ' couverts.' These
circles were composed of, first row, purple viola ;
second row, orange scarlet nasturtium ; third and
fourth, yellow nasturtium and yellow and lemon
viola carefully shaded outward to the lightest.
Page 19
Presented as published in 1882. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
A modernized reading is not available for this page yet. You are seeing the original text.
An oval table for ten guests. — In the centre a
large low bouquet of Cape jessamine, spiraea and
maidenhair fern ; four or eight white china tubs,
four inches square, with miniature ferns in them ; four
low white china figures holding bonbons and dried
fruit. The dinner and dessert service and the orna-
ments were all of pure white Limoges china.
A broad table for twelve guests. — The central
object a well-grown indigenous fern ; on the table-
cloth wreaths of stag's-head moss, and at intervals
EXAMPLES OF TABLE DECORATIONS. 41
bunches of heather. The wreaths were so arranged
as to frame in the candlesticks and two large dishes,
containing grapes and greengages. The same table
with wreaths of club moss and bunches of mountain-
ash berries. These decorations are hardly to be had
out of the Highlands or the North of England.
A long table for a large party. — A variety of silver
ornaments interspersed with china flower pots, in
which branches of mahonia were so arranged as to
look like miniature trees sprinkled with snow.'
Long table for fourteen. — Lighted from above.
Dresden china dessert dishes of different heights, and
gold ornaments. In the centre, and occupying the
greater part of the table, a silver gilt basket filled
with a mass of camellias on moss, and dressed with
sprays or single flowers of the long-stemmed winter
violet {Czar). Bouquets of camellias beside the
* couverts ' for all the ladies.
Table for eight to ten. — Lighted from above.
Centre, Dresden figure supporting a basket heaped
with fruit and standing in a ring of violets, three inches
wide. Two flat trays, sixteen inches by ten, filled
completely with violets, except in their centres, where
round low dessert dishes with fruit were sunk. At the
four corners of the table flat circular bouquets of
violets about two inches wide.
Varieties of this fiat decoration. — Violets with
inner rings of yellow primroses or of scarlet geranium ;
^ To do this, when the foliage is arranged take a fine-rosed watering
can, and dew the whole with ver}' weak gum water. Allow the water
to drain off a little, then apply the finest white flour, and afterwards
the finest sparkling salt, which must be dried before using.
42 EXAMPLES OF TABLE DECORATLONS.
also grey blue plumbago with inner rings of pink
geranium ; or primroses with inner lines of blue
hepaticas. The flowers should be without leaves,
and kept as flat and smooth as moss.
Table for ten to twelve. — Flowers in narrow cr}'s-
tal trays arranged in the form of a St. Andrew's cross,
which stood out from a circle round the foot of a
gold cup. Branch lights and dessert dishes. The
flowers used were the large non-scented syringa (mock
orange) fringed with every shade of leaves, that at
the points of the cross being dark copper-coloured.
Down through the mass of the syringa was drawn a
sharp line of scarlet geranium. At the four corners
of the table semicircular trays filled with the same
flowers.
Round table for eight. — Centre branch candlestick.
Small rainbow-like circle round the candlestick, and
second larger ditto just inside of the ' couverts.' These
circles were composed of, first row, purple viola ;
second row, orange scarlet nasturtium ; third and
fourth, yellow nasturtium and yellow and lemon
viola carefully shaded outward to the lightest.