14 



WINDOW GARDENING 



or bricks about the size of walnuts, then a sprinkling of sand and other pieces of 

 brick broken still smaller to about the size of a pea should be mixed with peat, 

 and with this compost the box may be filled up. Cases of this kind are usually 

 found in London, already prepared with plants, only needing the proper dimen- 

 sions to be soon fitted to any window. 



The best plants for these cases are ferns, which require but ordinary attention, 

 and the cultivator will also observe not to place them in a southern window ; a 



Fig. 5. 



northern or western one will be much better for they need little or no heat. As 

 these cases cannot be heated, so no plants should be placed in there which require 

 artificial warmth. 



A very pretty design has been originated by a German gardener of a combined 

 window case aquarium and fernery. (Fig. 5.) This occupies the window from tne 

 sill to top of the upper sash The tank within contains slate slabs of consider- 

 able height, say one-third of the whole window on the autside of the case, the 

 inner side nearest the room being of glass to afford a view of the interior. This 

 slab is necessary to avoid the effect of the sun's rays which, when passing through 



