96 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Feb. 



avoiding the chief objection to these "boxes" 

 — that is, their tendency to let the Uowers grow 

 one sided. The outer edge of the "box" can 

 be ornamented at the maker's pleasure. 

 Young ladies can exercise their ingenuity to 

 invent original adornments, or can follow the 

 directions given to ICtta Parker. 



The still' gi'ay and white mosses or lichens, 

 gi'owing so plentifully in the pine woods, af- 

 ford an exceedingly pretty ornament. If wet 

 in water, they become jjliiible, and can be fas- 

 tened on with carpenter's glue, or tied on 

 with brass thread wire fastened to small 

 brads on the inner and outer edges of the 

 "box." It pi-eseuts a charmingly rustic ap- 

 pearance, and can be made of shaded col- 

 ors by a judicious selection of the lichens. If ^ 

 cleft sticks of birch, oak, spruce or maple are ; 

 used, they can be fastened to the wood with 

 small brads, and varnished with gum-shellac 

 dissolved in naptha, or in terpentine, or with 

 common varnish. Gnarled boughs or roots 

 can be used ; — the roots of the mountain lau- 

 rel are much sought for ornamenting rustic 

 baskets and llower stands, and if at hand, will 

 be found very desirable for the "box," and a 

 long root can bo used as a trelUs to train a 

 vine upon. When the "box" is made and 

 trimmed, it must be filled with a Layer of tine 

 charcoal bits or dust, at least an inch thick ; 

 this is needful to prevent the soil from becom- 

 ing sour. It acts as a purifier and also fertil- 

 izes the earth. Now fill up with the richest 

 soil you can procure ; if possible, purchase it 

 of a florist, — its cost will be small, — and your 

 plants will repay your labor far better ; but 

 if this is not obtainable, use the best loam and 

 mix with it equal parts of thoroughly decayed 

 barn yard compost, and scouring sand. This 

 is an all important ingredient in all plant com- 

 post, and the neglect to provide it for our 

 plants, is often the cause of their failure to 

 grow luxuriantly, and repay us with buds and 

 flowers. Bake the mixture in the oven for 

 several hours, so as to kill all the larvaB of in- 

 sects contained therein ; let it cool, then plant 

 the "box." In this operation some taste is 

 needful, the tallest plants must occupy the 

 centre, the dwarfs, tlie corners and edges. 

 LycojjocUwm is the prettiest for an edging, or 

 Stone-crop may be substituted. BeUjium 

 Daisies, Czar Violets, Cyclamens and Frim- 

 roses, are each and all desirable, for they blos- 

 som continually, and require but little care. 

 The i)ine woods will give us the Partridge Vine 

 with its rich, waxen, red berries. The Cran- 

 hcrrij Vine is also considered a pretty plant for 

 a "^Vindow Garden." Were it a novelty, im- 

 ported at a high rate, with a long, many sylla-' 

 bled name attached to it, it would doubtless 

 possess many admirers ; but as it grows in 

 marshes, in our own country, it will not be 

 highly extolled. But if it can be obtahied, fair 

 reader, ])lcase j)lant it, and admire its pure 

 white llow(!rs and scarlet berries, even if you 

 do associate them with i-oast turkey ! 



Some one of the many species of the Varie- 

 gated Foliaged plants must find a place in the 

 box ; in the absence of flowers, it will partly 

 supply their ])lace. As we write, the sun 

 shines brightly through the magenta and dark 

 crimson foliage of an Achijranthes gilsonii and 

 makes it a glory entirely overshadowing the 

 double white Primrose by its side, and the 

 Cyclamen near at hand, though both are in 

 full bloom. 



A Avinter blooming Fuchsia is also indispen- 

 sible. There are two varieties that will bloom 

 from eight to ten months in the year ; — one is 

 Scn'aiijblia, wliich has a brilliant crimson cor- 

 olla with petals of a darker shade. The other 

 is Speciosa, a common species, doubtless 

 known to all our readers, but it is always de- 

 sirable. Its petals are of a waxen pink, while 

 the corolla is of a brilliant crimson. The lat- 

 ter grows to a great height, but can be topped 

 off, and trained into a handsome tree. Mig- 

 nonette and Siccet Alyssum can be sown in the 

 "box" and will bloom profusely, if only two 

 or three plants are allowed to remain. 



Bouvarda elegans is a very lovely plant, — its 

 rich coral-red flowers are very plentiful. 



Tom Thumb Geraniums are also beautiful 

 for tins purpose. 



Nierembergia Avill bloom all the season, but 

 its flowers are small. 



The Euphorbia, with its bright scarlet leaves, 

 resembling the plumage of tropical birds, is a 

 gi-eat addition to every collection. 



Abutilon Thompsonii, which possesses vari- 

 egated leaves, green, shaded and mottled with 

 yellow, is of easy culture, and with its beauti- 

 fully striped bells, is suitable for all sorts of 

 "AVndow Gardening." 



Abutilon Santana has flowers of a dark 

 brownish crimson, and is the handsomest of 

 this species. 



Torrenia Asiatica blooms winter and sum- 

 mer, and is lovely for hanging baskets, win- 

 dow boxes or gardens, — its flowers are of a 

 fight blue, marked with deep violet. 



Smilax is especially pretty to train over 

 trellises, for its pecufiar growth and graceful 

 beauty recommend it to all. It is said to grow 

 better in wood than in pottery, and it can be 

 made either to cfimb or to droop. It is a bul- 

 bous-rooted plant, but can be grown from 

 seed. It is much sought after for table deco- 

 rations, as well as for wreaths and garlands. 



Linaria Cymbalaria, Coliseum Ivy — some- 

 times called Ivy-leaved Snapdragon is also 

 much used, on accoTint of its lowly habit, — in- 

 deed nothing can be prettier for a drooping 

 vine. 



These "gardens" possess- an advantage 

 over plants in pots, because they do not be- 

 come dry so rapidly, and can be more easily 

 showered, and the inevitable dust from the 

 carpet sweeping removed. A miniature water- 

 ing pot will improvise a summer shower, and 

 the window panes and sashes can be protected 

 fi'om the tiny drops, by sheets of paper in- 



