WINDOW GARDENING. 203 



ature and dry atmosphere. The only way of arresting 

 them is by syringing or immersing as for Green Fly. 



There are no special soils necessary for the amateur to 

 trouble himself about in cultivating parlor flowers. For our 

 opinions on this head, see chapter on soils. Neither should 

 he tamper with guano or other fertilizers ; equalization of 

 temperature and moisture will secure the end desired. t 



WINDOW-GARDENING IN LONDON COTTAGE GAKDENS. 



One of the most refreshing sights to an American ar- 

 riving in London during the summer months is the won- 

 derful diversity and beauty of the flowers cultivated in 

 the windows and balconies of the houses. In some of the 

 best streets hardly a house can be seen that is not so 

 adorned, and even the most squalid abodes of vice and 

 poverty are often relieved by a miniature flower-garden on 

 the window-sill. The most common style is the window- 

 box, made to fit the window, usually from four to five feet 

 long, and about six to eight inches wide and deep. It is 

 made of every conceivable pattern, of terra-cotta, cork, 

 and rustic design in endless variety. The plants used are 

 not very numerous in variety, being selected of kinds 

 suited to keep in bloom or to sustain their brightness of 

 foliage. Now and then the ribbon-line planting is adopted 

 on the balconies ; a very handsome box in this style had 

 first a row of Moneywort (Lysimachia nummularia), 

 which formed a drooping curtain of four feet in length ; 

 half-way down on it drooped blue Lobelia ; then upon the 

 Lobelia fell a bright yellow Sedum (Stone-crop); then 

 against the Sedum, for the top-line or background, a 

 dwarf Zonale Geranium, a perfect blaze of scarlet. 

 Hardly two of these window decorations were alike in 

 the best streets, and varied from a simple box of Mig- 

 nonette or Sweet Alyssum to cases filled with the rarest 

 ferns or orchids. The effect as a whole is most pleasing, 

 and one that can not fail to strike the most indifferent ob- 



