It has lately occurred to me that a sketch of my 
window-garden might he acceptable. 
The apartment is better lighted than is 
often the case with a hay window and the 
usual curtains and blinds. As the window 
faces west, the sunshine is allowed to pen¬ 
etrate the room unchecked, and has never 
proved inconvenient, even on the longest 
and brightest summer days. 
My window-garden does not need heat, 
and, of course, I never plant in it any 
orchids or other tender plants, that a few 
cold nights would kill or injure past recov¬ 
ery. I am content with such Ferns as will 
live through the winter. 
If possible for all readers to get a win¬ 
dow which does not need special heating in 
the winter, do so, for the number of lovely 
plants that will thrive in them is beyond 
counting, and the care required to keep up 
an artificial temperature all the winter is 
really oppressive. Servants are fallible and 
forget. If you begin say in November to 
heat the case if closed, you must go on until 
April or May. 
If you leave off when the pressure is very 
severe, say in January, you will probably 
lose all your plants, even' if they are quite 
hardy, because the employment of heat will 
have kept them in a state of activity, in¬ 
stead of rest, and a severe frost, finding 
them unaided, will effect tlieir ruin. 
My bay window is fitted in a very sim¬ 
ple manner. It consists, in the first in¬ 
stance, of a scries of zinc trays, 18 inches 
wide and the same in length, the depth be¬ 
ing one foot. These fit closely together and 
are completely hidden by an ornamental 
kirting of rosewood, which can be removed 
in one piece, as it is attached to a front of deal. The 
zinc trays are all freely pierced, for drainage, and 
they rest on thin slips of wood on a slab of slate, 
which in its turn rests on the sill and the central sup- 
movable when required. In these I generally plant 
fine-leaved Ferns; and as soon as they begin to decline 
in beauty I take them out, plant them in the fernery, 
and refurnish the trumpets with fresh plants. 
In the boxes which arc reserved for pot- 
plants I put chopped moss only, packed 
closely around the pots; and I keep the 
whole surface covered with living Lycopo¬ 
diums, which are rooted in the boxes con¬ 
taining earth. I have but to lift the Lyco¬ 
podium gently, when changing the pot- 
plants, and then replace it, to afford a liv¬ 
ing, lace-like covering. 
I obtain from the gardener some good 
farm compost, consisting of fibrous peat 
chopped up with silver sand, and I find that 
this will grow any plant, from an early Tu¬ 
lip to the most delicate Fern or Lycopo¬ 
dium. 
When my pot - plants have declined in 
beauty, I return them to the gardener, and 
obtain from him others in return, always se¬ 
curing pairs, if possible. 
I find Dracaenas, Yuccas, Agave, Banibu- 
sas, and Ehodeas admirably adapted for the 
purpose, if not too large, and almost all 
kinds of Ferns are suitable. 
If I were to begin my garden and build 
over again, I would admit light from above, 
as well as at the sides. I would have wood¬ 
en, instead of zinc boxes, and I would have 
the window - frames made to slide up and 
down easily, by means of cords and pulleys 
within the room. “ Juliet.” 
VIOLETS IN POTS. 
Sketch of Window-Garden, 
have long been established, and form a most elegant 
tracery on iron wires, the two main supports to the 
trellis being fitted with glass trumpets, removed from 
a table decoration and fitted int© a socket, so as to be 
About the end of October put the plants 
rather firmly in six or seven-inch pots, 
using any good garden soil, thoroughly 
watering when newly potted and partially 
shading for a few days. If not properly watered, the * 
leaves will become yellow and the flowers not attain 
full size. Kept exposed to the sun, with a cool tem¬ 
perature at night, they flower well. M. Milton. 
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