Window Boxes and House Plants 
207 
staked when the flower stalks grow, to prevent them 
being broken by the wind. The stakes should be small, 
and carefully hidden by the flower, so as not to spoil 
the appearance of the boxes. 
When the spring plants have flowered, fresh soil will 
have to be obtained for the summer plants. 
Large vases may be filled in the same way. These 
lend an additional charm where they can be placed at 
the corner of a path, &c., but this should not be overdone. 
WINDOW AND HOUSE PLANTS 
This is a branch of gardening in which almost every- 
one is interested, but which is not understood as it might 
be. Only such plants as are suitable for this culture should 
be used. When gas is used for lighting, care must be taken 
that there is not even a slight escape, as this is injurious 
to pot plants. 
Flowering plants of course require all the light possible, 
and should be placed in or as near the window as possible, 
whereas Ferns, &c., which require shade, should be placed 
in other parts of the room. 
It may sometimes be found advisable to take the 
flowering plants to other parts of the room for decorative 
purposes, but they should be returned to the window as 
soon as possible. Plants in windows require to be turned 
regularly to ensure normal growth. It is in the leaves 
of plants under the action of sunlight that all the food 
is manufactured for their Growth. Therefore the leaves 
o 
and also the shoots will turn themselves to the light, so 
that this work may be more rapidly carried on. This is 
