HINDRANCES AND HELPS 



nice 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 incorporate together; and to their 

 rough bark the moss has taken so kindly, that 

 it has bloomed two full 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, excuse me a little par- 

 ticularity 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 supports, 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 



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