36 THE FLORAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 



pieces, and an open slit one quarter of an inch wide left between 

 them, it would answer the purpose well. A window-box made of 

 lead or sheet-iron, though more expensive at first, will outlast a 

 dozen wooden ones. I once saw an excellent contrivance for window 

 plants in pots, or to have them planted out. The contriver was a 

 tailor by trade, and a man extremely fond of flowers. Outside the 

 window where he sat at his work he had contrived to arrange quite a 

 little flower garden of a most interesting description. He had two 

 iron brackets fixed below the window, and a zinc box placed on 

 them full a yard wide, the sides being nearly a foot high ; this he 

 filled with good soil, after providing ample drainage, and there all 

 the season through he kept up quite a grand display of flowers. I 

 often admired his window-box, and the good taste he displayed in 

 arranging it. In the spring it was quite a treat to see his box when 

 his bulbs were in bloom. He was a happy little man, and a true 

 lover of flowers. I often think of him with his little garden, and 

 reflect how much people could do in that way if they would only 

 try, or could have seen the splendid example of my tailor friend. 



THE WINDOW GEEENHOUSE. 



The Miniature Window Greenhouse, which I will now consider, 

 is scarcely fitted for the centre of large towns, but answers well in 

 suburban districts and country towns. The window greenhouse is 

 a thing of far greater pretensions than the window box. It is an 

 ambitious step towards its great progenitor, the conservatory, and 

 an object which all lovers of flowers, who take a pride in their 

 window boxes, must long to possess. And why should they not 

 possess it ? It is but the question of a few shillings, if they have 

 the ingenuity to make one themselves, or can get a carpenter friend 

 to construct it for them. 



The window greenhouse is the climax of window-gardening, the 

 heau ideal of window-gardeners, enabling them to grow a greater 

 variety of plants, and to get up good specimens for exhibition. 

 But apart from that, it is a great ornament to a room. What a 

 world of interest is centred around it. Visitors are loud in their 

 admiration of it ; everybody compliments you on your happy inven- 

 tion and the beauty of your flowers. To children it is a treat of 

 surpassing interest. They carry away remembrances of it which 

 they never will forget. 



But the great event of the season, " The Flower Show," is draw- 

 ing near. You have been looking forward to it for months past. 

 You have been dreaming of this or that plant as being the future 

 prize-winner. Now you water and tend them with redoubled interest. 

 Day by day you have marked the progress they have made towards 

 the state of perfection you wish them to reach. At last you have 

 reared them into fair exhibition specimens, and, on the morning of 

 the great day you stnge them on the exhibition table amongst your 

 neighbours' plants, with nervous feelings of anxiety. But luck is on 

 your side ; the prize tickets decorate your favourites, and tbey stand 

 proudly amongst the others, reflecting credit on your skill as a 



