488 HORTICULTURE, FORESTRY, FLORICULTURE 



broken crocks with the concave side down should be placed to a 

 depth of one-half to 1 inch before the soil is put in. 



Soil can be secured from the nearest vacant lot that is not cov- 

 ered with coal ashes or rubbish. If a bit of this when placed in the 

 mouth dissolves and melts away without leaving any grit or if when 

 wet and rubbed in the hand it forms a slippery, sticky mud, it is too 

 clayey and sand should be added. This can be procured from the 

 vicinity of buildings where masons are at work. It will require one 

 part of sand to from four to ten of soil ; the more distinctly clayey 

 the soil the greater should be the proportion of sand added. 



The soil will need enriching, and for this purpose thoroughly 

 rotted stable manure is best ; but if this can not be obtained, some 

 fresh manure can be secured from the streets, if need be, or from a 

 cow or horse stable, but it is not well to use that which contains a 

 great deal of sawdust, straw, or other coarse bedding. Dry it thor- 

 oughly until it can be crumbled into powder easily ; then crumble it 

 up and thoroughly mix it with the soil at the rate of one part of 

 manure to from two to six of soil. This fining of manure by drying 

 and rubbing and the even mixing with the soil are very important. 

 Some of the finest mignonette the writer has ever seen was grown in 

 a gallon tin can in soil made as suggested above. 



If boxes are used in place of the larger pots, they should have 

 a series of one-half inch holes, from 3 to 5 inches apart, in the sides 

 close to the bottom, and a layer of broken crocks at least an inch 

 deep should be placed in the bottom before the soil is put in. 



Flowering Plants for Window Gardens. The following varieties 

 of annual flowering plants are specially suitable for window gardens : 



Ageratum. A compact-growing, hardy plant, about 1 foot in 

 height, and producing a constant succession of white, light blue, or 

 purple flowers. 



Aster. Although these plants are more easily grown in the open 

 ground than in pots or boxes and their season of bloom is short, we 

 have seen fine specimens both in pots and in window boxes, and they 

 are so well known and popular that they have been included in the 

 collection. 



Cacalia. A slender, graceful plant, a persistent bloomer, grow- 

 ing about 16 inches high and bearing tassel-shaped, bright, orange- 

 colored flowers. 



Calendula. Rather coarse plants, growing from 10 to 14 inches 

 tall and producing large yellow flowers, well known to many under 

 the old-fashioned name of marigold. 



Candytuft. Hardy, easily grown plants, 6 to 16 inches high. 

 The clusters of white or purple flowers are produced abundantly and 

 through a long season. The plants flower freely when grown in pots 

 and do well in window boxes. 



California Poppy. The young plants of the California poppy 

 (also known as eschscholtzia) have very long, narrow leaves and slen- 

 der stems and are very sensitive to sun or even a slight overwatering. 

 They do best in bright sunshine. These plants are open trailers, 12 to 

 20 inches across, and are persistent though not abundant bloomers. 



