THE HEW EDEH. 19 



We must, therefore, have sunshine at any cost ; and 

 as we have no openings in the ceiling, we must take them 

 at the sides. I hope your windows do not open due 

 north, for in that case you are limited in winter to a 

 comparatively few kinds of plants, and must give up 

 nearly all hope of bloom. The direct southern, or rather 

 southeastern, exposure is by far the best ; and next in 

 order of value are the other points of the compass toward 

 the east and the west. 



If we were to find a large, sunny bay-window, we might 

 be pardoned for going into raptures at once. It would 

 have several very decided advantages, furnishing a greater 

 abundance of light, and from three sides, instead of one, 

 besides affording the opportunity, if desired, of shutting 

 off the plants from the main room by curtains or glass 

 doors, making, in fact, a sort of parlor conservatory. 

 Certainly there could be no better place in which to plant 

 our home-made Eden. 



But taking the best windows that we have, let us make 

 the most of them. We can not afford to cover up a sin- 

 gle square inch of the glass, except with vines.. In their 

 native homes, the most of our plants are accustomed to 

 floods of light all day long, and they can not, therefore, 

 have too much of it with us. If some need less than 

 others, we can easily find shaded nooks for them after 

 admitting all the light we can get. So, if there are in- 

 side shutters, throw them open ; if curtains, roll them 

 up to the very top. They can be closed again at night, 

 you know, and will then help to exclude the cold ; but 

 during the day we must have light from the whole win- 

 dow, and especially from the part nearest to the sky. 

 The rays coming through that part are more direct than 

 from below, and fall upon the plants at the window in a 

 line more nearly vertical. It is a good thing for plants 

 as well as people to look upward. 



