PARLOR GARDENING. 77 



the finest effect when planted with some drooping spe- 

 cies. For our climate, during the summer months, 

 when exposed to full sun, strong, vigorous-growing 

 plants must be selected, such as Tropseolums, Petunias, 

 Passifloras, etc. While for the same position, the upright 

 plants may be double and single Geraniums, Heliotropes, 

 Mignonnette, and the like. For window boxes on the shady 

 side, use the plants recommended for hanging baskets in 

 shade. The soil may be such as is used for pots. Wa- 

 tering must be given as recommended for hanging bas- 

 kets, only in the case of the window box it would not be 

 practicable to immerse it, nor is there the same necessity 

 for doing so, as the box is less exposed than the hanging 

 basket, which is suspended and surrounded by drying 

 air upon all sides. These remarks refer to window gar- 

 dening outside of the windows, or on the outer sill. If 

 the boxes are placed inside in winter, which they may 

 be, the treatment recommended in chapter on " Winter 

 Flowering Plants," will be applicable. 



CHAPTER XXIV. 



PARLOR GARDENING, OR THE CULTIVATION OF PLANTS IN 

 ROOMS. 



Parlor Gardening has to some extent been treated of 

 under the head of winter flowering plants, but a few ad- 

 ditional general directions for plants not specially de- 

 signed for winter flowering, may be acceptable. One of 

 the first conditions essential to success is to start with 

 healthy plants. Even all the professional skill of the 

 florist, with all his appliances, will often fail to get a 

 sickly plant into a healthy condition. What then can 



