180 THE SCHOOL GARDEN BOOK 



made of inch boards nailed tightly together and painted both 

 inside and out. It is, of course, desirable that the paint used 

 should be the same color as the house, but if this is not prac- 

 ticable a dark green color will generally harmonize with the 

 plants. 



Two methods may be employed in attaching the window- 

 boxes to the house. The first is by the use of the metal 

 brackets to be bought in a great variety of sizes at the hard- 

 ware stores. These should, of course, be held in place by 

 long screws that run directly into the upright joists of the 

 house, and it will be desirable to paint the brackets the same 

 color as the house. The other method is to fasten the box 

 upon horizontal pieces which run out from a board nailed to 

 the house far enough down so that the window-box fits directly 

 underneath the projecting window ledge. Each of these 

 horizontal crosspieces is held in position by a long bracket 

 piece running from the end to the sillboard of the house. 

 Any one at all skilful with hammer and saw could attach a 

 window-box in this way in a very short time. 



Inasmuch as the window-boxes have the direct shelter of 

 the house, one can generally start them considerably earlier 

 than it is safe to plant tender flowers in the larger garden in 

 the ground. The late frosts are not likely to be sufficiently 

 severe to injure the window-boxes, rendered safer both by 

 the house and by the fact that they are several feet from the 

 ground. 



If one can get the plants for stocking the window garden 

 from a florist near at hand, it is desirable to do so, as such 

 plants will be well established in pots and may be transferred 

 to the window-box with little or no checking of their growth. 

 In case plants are received by mail it will generally be neces- 



