4 The New Practical Window Gardener. 



and with the requisite attention to keep them clean, 

 free from vermin and properly watered. All this 

 I will try to explain in a simple and practical manner. 

 What a wonderful hold the floral beauties of nature 

 have on the human heart ! Go where you will in town 

 or country, the love of flowers is displayed on every 

 hand. It holds sway in the city from the button-hole 

 bouquet to the great floral exhibitions ; from the 

 struggling geranium in the city alley to the gorgeous 

 display in the parks and public gardens. In the 

 country it is a poor cottage that has not its flower-plot 

 or window plant. What a charming sight it is to pass 

 through a country village where the queenly rose, the 

 carnation, the pansy, geranium, fuchsia and a host of 

 other favorites gladden the eyes with their well-known 

 beauties. The general appearance of the outside of a 

 cottage home may be always taken as pretty sure 

 evidence of the character of its inmates. You can point 

 out at once where the lover of flowers dwells. Every 

 lover of flowers has of necessity a large heart capable 

 of love and sympathy for all mankind ; willing always 

 to think the world very beautiful, and God ever 

 bountiful, who gives all men the breath of life so that 

 they can enjoy the beautiful works of His hand, and 

 with full hearts to lift their thoughts in thanks and 

 praise for His mercies, even though the troubles of life 

 beset them at every step. I honour and admire the 

 lovers of flowers, and would do all I could to encoura<ye 

 them. Often when I see the cottager spending his 

 evening hour in his little garden and hear him eagerly 

 tell me the history and peculiarities of this and that 



