of cherries may be made very pretty by arranging the
fruit in clusters of red and white with a few leaves and fastening them
with invisible wire to bits of stem, and arranging them in baskets of
rough green straw tied with green ribbons.

Crown roast of lamb is a rather unusual dish at a luncheon, but it is an
attractive one and not too heavy for the meal. It is the whole saddle of
lamb, cut down the back, with the two sides carefully trimmed of the
meat until the chop bones stand up alone as in French chops. The sides
are then put together, bent in a circle, and fastened with skewers to
form a crown with the bones standing up. The centre is filled either
with mashed potato or with peas before it is served; it should be carved
on the table, on a round platter, or, if it is carefully cut between the
chops before it is brought in, it may be passed to the guests for each
to cut for herself.

The sherbet to follow this course is made by adding a handful of crushed
mint to boiling hot lemonade, letting it stand till cool, straining,
adding a little sherry or rum if you use them, and freezing. A few drops
of green colouring improve its appearance. Sometimes a sprig of mint is
put in the sherbet glass with the ice, a very pretty idea.

The salad is made by cooking asparagus until it is tender, and when cold
sprinkling with French dressing and allowing it to stand an hour before
serving on lettuce with mayonnaise.

With this luncheon the ices may be served in beautiful little ships of
silver paper with delicate paper sails, or the ingenious caterer has a
form for reproducing Plymouth Rock in caramel cream, so lifelike that
even the fissure in the side appears. Either of these shapes are
certainly delightfully appropriate for a May-Day luncheon if they are
attainable. If not, the cream may be served in little fluted paper cases
decorated with the arbutus, tied on in small bunches with narrow ribbon.

AN APPLE-BLOSSOM LUNCHEON

[Illustration: FILLED WITH CANDIED FRUITS.]

A hostess living in the country may offer a group of city guests a real
delight in May-time by inviting them to luncheon when the orchards are
all in bloom. The invitations should bear the word "Apple-Blossoms" in
one corner, and the implied promise should be fulfilled by having the
flowers in evidence everywhere in the house and out of it. The rooms
should be decorated with bowls of the flowers on the mantels and on the
top of the book-cases and on the