There are many schools of ike-bana, but they have fundamental principles in common. The basis oí the art is not colour massed together—as in European floral decoration—nor flowers packed together to keep them upright. The Japanese rely on line for their effect. Each arrangement has three basic lines, excepting when it has a symbolical significance, and then two flowers may be used.
The principal line gives the charac ter, the secondary line is about two-thirds its length, and the tertiary line about one-third its length. Th secondary line follows the curve o the primary line, but not, in the same plane. No stems or leave must cross, and the blossoms mus not be obscured.
The importance attached to the receptacles is great, There is a wide variety of flower baskets, bowls. vases, troughs and dishes to suit every thought and design of the flower arranger.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.