HINDRANCES AND HELPS. 30} 



the cornice from which the Spanish moss is pendant, 

 is a long rod of Hazel, around which a vine of Bitter 

 sweet has twined itself so firmly, that they seem in 

 corporate together ; and to their rough bark the 

 moss has taken so kindly, that it has bloomed two 

 fnll years after the date of its first occupancy. There 

 are daintier hands than mine that care for this little 

 garden of wildness, and give it its crowning grace ; 

 but here I may not speak their praise. 



The other southern window is at a farther remove 

 from the open wood-fire ; its floral show is, therefore, 

 somewhat different ; and the reader will, I trust, ex 

 cuse me a little particularity of description, since it 

 will enable me to show how much may be done with 

 limited material and space. 



Upon the window-sill, some eighteen inches in 

 breadth by forty in length, are placed four bits of 

 oak-wood five inches in length, squarely sawn from a 

 young forest tree, which serve as standards or sup 

 ports, to a tray of plank five inches in depth, and cov 

 ered with unbarked saplings, so graduated in size, as 

 to make this base (or tray) appear like the plinth of a 

 column. This is filled with fine garden-mould, and 

 there are grooves in the plank-bottom communicating 

 with one drainage hole, beneath which is placed an 

 earthen saucer. Fitting upon this tray is a glazed 

 case with top sloping to the sun, and with its quoins 



