22 WINTER GREENERIES AT HOME. 



a frontispiece, thus conferring upon it now the honor of 

 beginning the book. 



\Vell directly in front of window number one, and 

 three feet distant from it, stands my study table. On the 

 corners toward the window are fixed two posts about the 

 length and size of broomsticks, and another near the 

 center of the table. These are connected at the top by 

 semi-circular pieces of stout wire, thus making a frame- 

 work in the form of an arched concave niche, opening 

 toward the window. From the center of the arch is 

 suspended a " mother-of-pearl " shell, containing a 

 "drooper" Tradescantia vittata. On the table within 

 the niche are placed eight pots of Ivy Hedera each 

 containing a distinct variety. These ivy vines entirely 

 cover the frame-work, and pass in graceful festoons from 

 the top of the arch upward and over to the top of the 

 window, and thence downward and around two large wire 

 hoops, which are arranged like the figure 8, and are sus- 

 pended near the glass. Within the lower hoop lianas a 

 cocoannt, containing the delicate-leaved Mahernia odor- 

 ata (of the catalogues, but properly M. Verticillafa) , 

 which is in fine contrast to the encircling Ivy. At the side 

 of the window, next to the wall, are swinging brackets, one 

 of which holds a hanging basket filled and overflowing 

 with Lycopodium, and just above it a pot of Isolepis gra- 

 cilis. If you were now seated in the easy-chair between 

 the window and the table, you would find it, I think, as 

 perfect a bower as any summer-garden could furnish. 



The middle window, number two, (which is shown 

 in engraving No. 2,) is entirely different in its plants and 

 their appointments. At a point as high as I can reach 

 conveniently is a stout iron rod, which extends horizon- 

 tally across the window, and curves outward into the 

 room far enough to keep plants from touching the glass, 

 and to allow free play for the inside "panel shutters." 

 On this rod, at the center, I have a small vine in a shell, 



