16 WOOD AND GARDEN 



blooms that would otherwise be available, leafy branches 

 alone are beautiftil in rooms. But, as in all matters 

 that have to do with decoration, everything depends 

 on a right choice of material and the exercise of taste 

 in disposing it. Red-tinted Berberis always looks well 

 alone, if three or four branches are boldly cut from 

 two to three feet long. Branches of the spotted Au- 

 cuba do very well by themselves, and are specially 

 beautiful in blue china ; the larger the leaves and the 

 bolder the markings, the better. Where there is an 

 old Exmouth Magnolia that can spare some small 

 branches, nothing makes a nobler room-ornament. The 

 long arching sprays of Alexandrian Laurel do well with 

 green or variegated Box, and will live in a room for 

 several weeks. Among useful winter leaves of smaller 

 growth, those of Hpimedium joinnatum have a fine red 

 colour and delicate veining, and I find them very use- 

 ful for grouping with greenhouse flowers of delicate 

 texture. Gaultheria Shcdlon is at its best in winter, 

 and gives valuable branches and twigs for cutting ;. and 

 much to be prized are sprays of the Japan Privet, with 

 its tough, highly-polished leaves, so much like those 

 of the orange. There is a variegated Eurya, small 

 branches of which are excellent ; and always useful are 

 the gold and silver Hollies. 



There is a little plant, Ophiopogon spieatum, that 

 I grow in rather large quantity for winter cutting, 

 the leaves being at their best in the winter months. 

 They are sword-shaped and of a lively green colour, and 



