18 WOOD AND GARDEN 



to release it ; the flower does not seem to mature quite 

 enough to come free of itself. Bold masses of Heli- 

 chrysum certainly give some brightness to a room dur- 

 ing the darkest weeks of winter, though the brightest 

 yellow is the only one I much care to have ; there 

 is a look of faded tinsel about the other colourings. 

 I much prize large bunches of the native Iris berries, 

 and grow it largely for winter room-ornament. 



Among the many valuable suggestions in Mrs, 

 Earle's delightful book, "Pot-pourri from a Surrey 

 Garden," is the use indoors of the smaller coloured 

 gourds. As used by her they give a bright and 

 cheerful look to a room that even flowers can not 

 surpass. 



