Besides these we have other things provided by a bountiful providence which we ought to appreciate better than we do. See the glorious colouring that the leaves of the hedgerow trees take on; note the rushes swaying in the brook, the berries of the mountain-ash, as well as of the dog-rose; all these are profitable to town florists, who will generally pay a fair price for such things. To the home decorator all these are very valuable—or will be in the days that will come all too soon, when no flowers are to be had for the table. If slightly dried and brushed over with a very weak solution of gum arabic, then dried again, these will keep for a long time without losing their colour. Some of the very prettiest table decorations ever seen have been made with coloured leaves and berries. For tall jars in the corners of rooms, purple thistles, white honesty, brown bulrushes, copper beech boughs, and scarlet ash-berries combined, make a truly lovely show. In the garden we have dahlias and sunflowers defying the wane that seems to make everything else look dreary, and by and by we shall have chrysanthemums in all their brave glory to brighten house and greenhouse. What a glory do these give to the last days of the dying year. But the year is far from ending in September; we have many things yet to enjoy, and possibly many guests to entertain, and always much to see to, as prudent housewives. A plentiful crop of wild mushrooms proves a great help to us now, and we are glad to remind ourselves of different ways of using them. For instance, with bacon or eggs at breakfast, _au gratin_ at dinner, on toast at all times, they are acceptable. With field mushrooms we have need to be very careful lest we inadvertently give ourselves some that are poisonous and unfit for food. Dr. Badham, author of the _Esculent Funguses of England_, enumerates no less than forty-eight species of edible fungi, all of which are good to eat. According to him the majority of fungi are harmless, but his account of the effects of the poisonous minority is enough to alarm the most trustful. The easiest way to detect whether fungi are wholesome or not is to insert a silver spoon into the stew in which they are present, and if poisonous it will quickly turn black; a peeled onion will also turn blue or bluish-black, and is an even easier test. If either of these on being withdrawn shows their own natural colour, the mushrooms may be regarded as harmless. Mushroom ketchup is regarded by all housewives as one of the treasures of the store-cupboard, and that which is home-made is generally better than any that can be bought.