238 GAEDEX ilAXAGElIEXT. 



same angle, which may be hinged to the ■window-frame. If this frame only 

 extends to three-fom-ths of the height of the window, it will not interfere very 

 materially with the light of the room. Oi course, the plants are watered and 

 arranged from the room within. All manner of ornamental projections may 

 be thus formed, and large ornamental bell-glasses may be easily adjusted to 

 vases for the hall and drawing-room, in producing which, every one will pursue 

 their particular fancy. But whoever would have healthy plants in a sitting- 

 room, of any kind whatever, should provide either a case or vase : the dry 

 atmosphere which is agreeable to human beings is unsuitable for most plants. 



642. A simple apparatus has been employed for the preservation of cut 

 flowers, not dissimilar in principle to the Wardian case. A flat porcelain dish 

 is filled with water, and a vase with cut flowers is placed on the dish ; over 

 the whole a bell-glass is placed, fitting to the edges of the porcelain dish. 

 The au- surrounding the flowers is thus kept in a moist state, supplying to the 

 flowers the moisture yielded by the roots and leaves in their natural state, and 

 maintaining them fresh and brilliant lor a considerable time. 



643. Where a window happens to be in a recess, a wooden trough, lined 

 with lead or zinc, may be used for holding earth, in which climbing plants 

 may be planted and trained about the recess. For this purpose the passion- 

 flower is very suitable : if allowed, after crossing the top, to hang down before 

 the window in festoons, displaying its naturally graceful pendulous habit, 

 it will form a pleasant screen for a sunny window. A grape-vine may be grown 

 in the same way, and it is always a graceful plant, while its fruit is excelled by 

 no vegetable product when ripening in glowing clusters. But it is advisable 

 to attempt nothing in this way which cannot be carried out perfectly ; a single 

 plant properly grown is to be preferred to the most elaborate attempts the 

 working out of which has not been thoroughly considered; for instance, 

 climbing plants must be very closely watched and carefully trained, or they 

 become so entangled as to be anything but ornamental ; they are apt, also, 

 to harbour spiders and other insects, to drop their dead leaves and flowers, 

 and, in common with other plants, they must be watered, which is always 

 inconvenient in a room, for the pots must be well drained of superfluous 

 moisture, otherwise the earth soddens in the pot. It would never do to let 

 this superfluous water run over the carpet ; the pots must consequently have 

 flat basins to receive it, and the water removed from the basins without delay. 

 These are drawbacks to window-gardening ; but the ti'ue lovers of Flora will 

 ■find in them no obstacle ; to such the sight of a window festooned with trailing 

 plants, and gay with flowers, will be sufficient inducement to overcome every 

 difficulty in the way of its production. 



644. Another feature in window-gardening is the introduction of suspended 

 baskets, usually made of wire, for the purpose of displaying to advantage the 

 beautiful habit of trailing plants. These we should recommend to be potted 

 in ordinary flowerpots, and surrounded with moss in the basket, the latter 

 being made to hook on to a staple in the ceiling, so that it may be taken away 

 when the plant requires water. One of the most suitable plants for the purpose 



