WINDOW BOXES OF FLOWERS. 
Of home decorations nothing has ever pleased me 
better than some outside window boxes that I had last 
season. They were made of pine, three feet in length, 
one foot in width, and nine inches deep. To simulate 
panels, a piece of moulding was put around the edges 
of the sides and the ends. The supports were iron 
brackets screwed to the house, the horizontal part just 
long enough to hold the boxes, which were closely 
fitted under the v indowsills. Both boxes and brackets 
were painted like the body of the house—an olive drab 
—so that the latter were inconspicuous when not 
occupied. 
The boxes were filled with well-enriched sandy loam, 
with a sprinkling of charcoal and guano, and planted 
with strong, healthy plants, the latter part of May. 
For bloom. I depended mostly upon Geraniums, having 
some of the best varieties known to florists, and I 
placed lengthwise of each box three or four large 
plants, filling in smaller ones in front and in the rear, 
together with the finest varieties of Coleus and 
Achyronthus, and plants also with small delicate foli¬ 
age. In front, a large silver-leaved Geranium occupied 
the centre of one box, a white Centaurea. the other. 
Shades of rose color and lake predominated in one. 
mixed with blue Lobelia or blue Ipomea. 
For trailers, masses of Othanna crossfolia served me 
with many seedlings of Thunbergia, raised in a hot-bed. 
The latter gave an abundance of pine white flowers, 
and of deep orange and buff. Pilogyne suavis was also 
utilized, and it had a wonderful growth, often sweeping 
the ground, or running from box to box. The Gerani¬ 
ums out-did themselves. They were young, stocky, and 
eager to display their beauty—great rosy clusters ap¬ 
peared here and there, vying with the scarlet or crim¬ 
son sorts, which were very handsome in their emerald 
setting. 
Mot only were the plants disposed to advantage in 
front, but I was still more anxious to make the back 
side such as to gratify the eye within the room, for at 
these windows we had our easy? chairs, and did our 
sewing and reading, and the close proximity of the 
plants give us much satisfaction. It is always pleasant 
in looking up from your book, or bouquet work, to rest 
the eye on something agreeable—a picture, a rose of 
flowers, or a corner of the room with artistic arrange¬ 
ments, so this bit of gardening with its gorgeous color¬ 
ing so near was truly charming. 
The abounding vitality, the tender shading of color, 
and highly decorative effect are not easily forgotten, 
and compelled admiration from those who were deter¬ 
mined not to be pleased. It was said: “You won't like 
the boxes.” “They will be a failure.” “The plants 
will burn up with glass for a background.” “You 
can't use your blinds to darken the room, and when the 
hot weather and the flies come, you will wish your 
boxes elsewhere.” Finally, “You had better leave 
window boxes for city people.” It was ungracious in 
me not to heed these criticisms, but as I did not, I can 
now confidently commend the plan to all who desire to 
make their surroundings attractive. 
Doubtless the idea originated in the city where there 
was not ground for flower-beds, but there is no reason 
why it should be confined there, for it furnishes a rare 
opportunity to embellish the country home. It is a 
great saving of labor, as the boxes can be watered from 
within, which is far less work than to water garden 
vases and flower-beds, and with cultivators there is 
always enough of that to do. With thick shades and 
wire screens we scarcely missed the use of the window 
blinds. To fill such boxes many plants are needed; 
they should be vigorous, well-grown, and ready to 
bloom when planted. If calculations are made long 
enough beforehand, complete success may be expected. 
—./. E. •/., in Tribune. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Petunias.—iff. iff. B. The various forms of “ Striped 
Petunias,” are not species, rather hybrids. They were 
first produced by Isaac Buchanan, Esq., of New York, 
who crossed the crimson and white varieties, the result 
being the magnificient blotched and striped varieties 
now so extensively cultivated. The fringed varieties 
originated with the late James Vick, Esq. 
Clerodendron. — E. S. B., Melrose, Wis. This plant 
should have a very rich loam, and to flower freely 
requires frequent shiftings from smaller into larger 
pots. With this treatment it can be made to bloom con¬ 
tinually during the entire season. Old plants can be 
grown on with occasional shiftings, and make splen¬ 
did plants for garden decoration during summer. They 
must, however, be grown in the shade. After flow.ering, 
water freely, in order that they may make a good 
growth ; after which they should have partial sun to 
ripen the wood. If not wanted for winter flowering, 
remove the plants in the fall to a light cellar, free from 
frost, giving them through the winter just water enough 
to sustain life. In the spring, when all danger from 
frost is over, remove the plants to any desired 
position in the garden, or on the veranda for another 
season of bloom. 
Rose Seed.— Same. Sow the seed, soon as ripe, in 
pots of clean sand, and plunge the pots in any conven¬ 
ient place out of doors, where they can freeze. In early 
spring, shake them out of the pots and plant in a frame, 
or bed, in rich soil in partial shade, .and where they will 
not suffer from want of moisture; they will soon come 
up and grow vigorously. Many of them will come into 
