146 n tbe JEmbellisbment of tbe E>wellin0*1bouse. 



bryanthemum, periwinkle, trailing verbena and Indian cress, 

 or with a combination of these and subtropical plants ; 

 dracenas, palms, and American aloe. While such vases are 

 also available for the embellishment of other parts of a 

 garden, they are chiefly used in connection with the house. 

 A pretty custom is the use of window boxes filled to over- 

 flowing with vines and flowering plants. The window box 

 to be practical in a hot climate should be constructed so as 

 to protect the roots from overheating and drying during hot 

 days, and to allow for drainage in wet weather. While the 

 drainage cannot be carried outside the box, as it would soil 

 the building, the bottom of the box may be filled with 

 a couple of inches of cinders or crocks. The outside may 

 be made of wood, slate, or enamelled earthenware, and the in- 

 side should consist of a tight zinc box, fitting in so as to leave 

 an air space of half an inch between the zinc and the outer 

 covering. This construction prevents any sudden drying of 

 the roots or overheating of the soil from exposure to the 

 sun. The soil, which should be light and rich, must be 

 firmly packed in planting. The boxes, after planting and 

 watering, are placed on the narrow sill outside the window, 

 and if this is too narrow it must be supported by means of 

 brackets or bands fastened to the wall. Boxes may also be 

 placed on top of the balustrade or balcony between the col- 

 umns, if the character of the building admits of such display. 

 Besides these, hanging baskets may be suspended from the 

 roof directly above the boxes, one between each pair of 

 columns. The plants used for vases and boxes are also 

 amenable to basket culture; they include such sorts as 

 geraniums, ivy-leaved geraniums, German ivy, musk, coleus, 



