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THE PRACTICAL GARDEN -BOOK 



Garden. This type of gardening is particularly suited to 

 those who live in the crowded city, where the want of other 

 space makes the Window-Garden the only one possible. 



Handsomely finished boxes, ornamental tiling, and 

 bracket work of wood and iron suitable for fitting out win- 

 dows for the growing of plants, are on the market ; but such, 

 while desirable, are by no means necessary. A stout pine 

 box of a length corresponding to the width of 

 the window, about 10 inches wide and 6 deep, 

 answers quite as well as a finer box, since it 

 will likely be some distance above the street 

 and its sides, moreover, are soon covered by the 

 vines. A zinc tray of a size to fit into the 

 wooden box may be ordered of the tinsmith. 

 It will tend to keep the soil from drying out so 

 rapidly, but it is not a necessity. A few small 

 holes in the bottom of the box will provide 

 Asum^eT^dowiedge for drainage; but with carefulness in water- 

 ing these are not necessary, since the box by 

 its exposed position will dry out readily during summer 

 weather, unless the position is a shaded one. In the 

 latter case provision for good drainage is always advisable. 



Since there is more or less cramping of roots, it will 

 be necessary to make the soil richer than would be required 

 were the plants to grow in the garden. The most desirable 

 soil is one that does not pack hard like clay, nor contract 

 much when dry, but remains porous and springy. Such a 

 soil is found in the potting soil used by florists, and it may 

 be obtained from them at from 50 cts. to $1 a barrel. Often 

 the nature of the soil will be such as to make it desirable 

 to have at hand a barrel of sharp sand for mixing with the 

 soil, to make it more porous and prevent baking. 



Some pot the plants and then set them in the window- 

 box, filling the spaces between the pots with moist moss. 

 Again, they are planted directly in the soil. The former 

 method, as a general rule, is to be preferred in the winter 

 Window-Garden; the latter during the summer. 



