92 WINDOW GARDENING 



Plants do not thrive luxuriantly in baskets, year after year, with soil or 

 position unchanged ; hence, it is well to renew them every autumn, for healthier 

 plants will be the result. 



In the summer time, when the rooms are closed against sun and flies, there 

 is not light enough to keep the plants healthy, and then they should be hung 

 in the shade of the porch or piazza, or under the trees. 



Hanging Baskets, provided with the charcoal and the sponge in the bottom, 

 need not have a hole for drainage, for these will supply their place. 



Plants of very watery tissues, usually grown in the neighborhood of ponds or 

 woodland streams, will do best in soil transplanted from such location; but ordi- 

 nary leaf mould will answer for almost everything. 



It is a good plan to keep a good reserve supply of soil at hand in a heap, ready 

 at any time you may desire to make a new basket, fill a new pot, or change the 

 plants in either. 



When you are potting the plants into any vessel, press the soil well down 

 around the plants, and never use wet soil ; let it be well dried and friable 



Watering should be carefully administered, for few know what to give their 

 plants, how to give, or when. An hour's neglect or forgetfulness may blight 

 the entire beauty of your basket ; or, again, an overflooding in a hot, dry room 

 may cause them to mould. 



Whenever they are watered the whole of the soil in the pot should be weL 

 wetted, and the frequency of watering depends upon the temperature of the air ; 

 the warmer the room the more frequently will they need it. Usually once a 

 day, in the early morning or previous evening, is sufficient, if the thermometer 

 measures 45 to 65; if over that, and averaging 60 to 80, twice a day, water- 

 ing moderately, will be sufficient. In winter time do not apply cold water ; 

 either use it of same degree as that of the room, or bring your dish of water in 

 the room and let it stand an hour or two before applying. More damage than 

 a little is done by applying too cool water, giving the tender plant a severe chill. 

 If the surface soil cakes any, break it up frequently, and keep a good watch 

 for insects. 



Construction 



The devices for making hanging baskets are nearly endless. Our florists offer 

 a great variety of patterns; our wire manufacturers offer some pretty designs, 

 and our pottery and tile merchants have equally attractive models of elegance 

 and beauty. Choose anything you like, only we recommend to you not to get 

 them too small. We would select nothing less than eleven or twelve inches in 

 diameter, and six inches deep. Let the soil be filled in even with the edge of 

 the rim, and then rise toward the centre like a small mound. If there are but 

 one or two large plants in the basket, cover the surface of the soil with moss, 

 which will retain the moisture in the soil, needing watering only at occasional 

 intervals ; the moss from trees is not as desirable as that usually found growing 



