

Woodland, Zawn and Garden. 
WINDOW OR PARLOR GARDENING. 


NUMBER VY. 
“When the flowers and trees are waying, 
Birds will sing their sweetest song; 
Where the purest thought will linger, 
Confidence and love belong. 
Such a home makes man the better; 
Sweet and lasting its control— 
Home, with pure and bright surroundings 
Leaves the impress on the soul. 
N this paper we will attempt to give our readers some 
more advanced and elaborate plans for the adornment 
of our parlor recess and bay windows. We will suppose, 
however, all our readers, and more especially our lady 
readers, have become quite well acquainted with the fore- 
going suggestions upon parlor plant growing in their most 
practical forms. First, they have learned from the single 
specimen of plant growing in one pot how richly a little 
care and patience is repaid, as illustrated by a single rose 
geranium, grown high up amid the damp fog of ‘‘Coiner’s 
Court,” and the magnificent unfoldings of the rose tree in. 
our humble rural home. Next, we passed in review the 
first effort of the tyro in growing flowers in a common 
parlor or sitting room window of some half dozen common 
plants ranged upon a common shelf. We endeavored to 
show in our simple illustrations of plant life how easily 
apparent difficulties could be overcome, when one readily 
and resolutely set about doing the same. We endeavored 
to show our many lady readers, and others interested in 
this delightful occupation, how easily even the poorest rus- 
tic home could be made fresh and beautiful, and to literally 
blossom like the rose, even in the severity of mid-winter. 
We have taught the wild flowering jessamine of the trop- 
ics to throw its fragrant sweets, its rich perfume in these, 
our northern homes. Now we can rejoice in cheerful glad- 
ness, even at this time, this frosty season of the year, amid 
all the floral beauties of many climes. 
And how have ve been able to accomplish all this? By 
attending to a few well known, practical suggestions, that 
in all cases will give a likerichreward. We found that our 
box in the window, fitted to a shelf of some larger dimen- 
sions gave us our first idea of a window garden in its most 
simple form, This box we filled with carefully selected 
plants, well adapted to the situations in which they were to 
grow, after having given the necessary soils, their chemical 
union, and component elements. 
In our more advanced conversations, after noting the 
simpler elements, a knowledge of which is always neces- 
sary to success in any undertaking, we noted the more 
elaborate, or what might be called the initiative, of com- 
position element in window gardening, under the forms of 
the zine pan, and the culture of bulbs. 
In the progress ‘of our third paper we gave some idea of 
the management of the different bulbs, the simpler forms 
of the ferns, the introduction of the cacti, and the mixing 
of the different kinds of bulbous plants together. We 
spoke of the fine effects that we had produced by the group- 
ing of the New Zealand plants with those imported from 
Australia and California. We gave the simple forms, or 
what we called foundation rules, for the construction of 
small crags or miniature rock work within the window. In 
our fourth and last paper a recapitulation or analysis of all 
which we deem necessary to a better understanding of our 
present paper was given. 
In this article we present to you for consideration the 
Jirst part of a full window garden of yare and fine plants, 
intermingled in a more natural and pleasing form. Ag 
Shakespeare has truthfully written— 
‘This is an art which does mend Nature— 
Changes it rather, but the art is Nature.” 
You can, if you have a large sized bow window, have a 
box constructed to rest upon short legs, with rollers at- 
tached, by which means it may be removed back and forth 
to the window, as may be desirable. This box may be one 
and a half feet in height, and of such width as will allow 
it to just fit in evenly with the outside coverings of the win- 
dow. Wesuppose the depth of this bow window to be 
three feet and six inches in width. This will allow us to 
have a box made say twenty-one inches, or one half the 
width of our window, and allow sufficient space to place 
. on the sill of the same, another box of like dimensions and 
measurement, if we choose so to do; but our plan has been 
to have the upper box on the one which rests upon the 
shelf upon the sill of the window ten inches in depth in- 
stead of a greater depth, this size being found upon use as 
best adapted to the growth of the plants we place within 
the same. Having filled our smaller sized box, according 
to previous direction with earth, adapted to the growth of 
the plants designed to be grown in the same, you will pro- 
ceed to plant them, varying them in arrangement to suit 
your own fancy somewliat, being careful always to place 
all of one species together, care also being had as to the 
sods best adapted to this arrangement of plants. If you 
would like to try as an experiment the cacti, of different 
species, an arrangement like the following will give you 
much pleasure (we have succeeded with such an arrange- 
ment), and we think you will not fail if careful not to 
overdo your plants. There is such a thing as over-nursing, 
or taking too good care of a plant, and the cacti of some 
species are very impatient, and by their appearance say to 



you more plainly, perhaps, than any other plant, ‘‘Let me 
alone.” They shrink from too much water, and will live 
and thrive and send out huge clusters and long plumed 
blossoms from avery dry base. Being a Mexican plant, 
having their origin among hot, arid soils of rocky, silicious 
formations, their very nature is of course different to many 
other plants, a fact to be kept always in mind. 
I have placed a narrow, long box, say four inches wide 
and five inches in depth, on the top of the upper box, well 
filled with coarse gravelly sand and pieces of brick of the 
size of a walnut and less, to within three inches of the top; 
you will then select your cacti plants from the best cata- 
logue you may deem best. They succeed best in sandy 
loam, and this, mixed with brick and lime rubbish, a little 
peat and rotted manure, should fill up-your cactus box. 
The tallest and more rapidly growing plants should be 
placed nearest the ends of the box, filling up the centre 
space with the smaller kinds. The drooping kind may be 
planted at the front side, or sides of the box next the 
room, and form a pretty appearance hanging over the front 
of the box, which may be painted of any color, and they 
add much to the general effect. Of the plants denomina- 
ted succulent, the aloe and cactus seem, by their very na- 
ture, adapted to very dry climates, and enter into. parlor 
gardening very naturally, and are easily taken care of. 
Like many other plants in some respects, they are in others 
very unlike. There is no plant that we have ever cultiva- 
ted as an indoor plant that requiress less care than this cu- 
rious plant. IJ-have, as a general thing, let it take care of 
itself, after carefully preparing its receptacle of earth for 
it. Itshould be kept quite dry, except when growing, 
when it should be watered freely. These unique plants 
will repay all your attention. They are designed by nature 
to endure a recess from moisture, their organization fits 
them peculiarly for it, and they are of a flat, fleshy texture, 
covered with a thick, tough, leather-like coat or bark, 
which does not respire so freely as other plants. 
You can procure from the florist all the best. known vari- 
eties of cactus, many of the older varieties being far pref- 
erable to the newer crosses. Among your selected plants 
you may place Jackinsonii, Malisonia, and <Ackermanit. 
The Opuntia microdias has beautiful foliage, and, being 
tufted over with regular rows of yellow spires, is truly 
worth all the time and patience bestowed upon it. With 
these few named plants you may fill your narrow box, and 
leave them to take care of themselves while you next give 
your attention to your second box, which rests upon the 
window sill. 
With the previous suggestions given, you will be pre- 
pared somewhat to enter upon your work with a good de- 
gree of confidence, and in arranging the plants in your 
second box you will be quite particular to observe the fol- 
lowing rules, which will prevent many incongruities in the 
grouping of the different plants. Avoid placing rose color 
next to scarlet, orange, or violet; never place orange next 
to yellow, or blue next to violet. Orange will harmonize 
well wish blue, and yellow with violet. *Rose color and 
purple may be placed side by side, and the effect is harmo- 
nious. You now have the white, with which to relieve any 
color, but it is never to be placed next to yellow. 
Having brought our lady friends thus far in our attempts 
to make our parlors and sitting rooms sources of pleasure 
during the winter months, we would remark that while we 
could easily designate by name every plant to be used for 
the filling of our second box (and which we shall do in the 
course of these papers), we deem it more for the interest of 
our readers to try these experiments to a certain extent, 
unaided by more minute directions from us. — 
In our next we will give a continuation of the manner of 
our own planting—Box No, I1.—and other and more inter- 
esting matter relative to the subject of parlor decoration. 
J OLLIPOD QUILL. 
A Brr or NAtuRE IN THE PARLOR—While in Jackson- 
ville, Florida, we saw something so pretty, andin such good 
taste that we will try to describe it, and perhaps some of our 
northern ladies may avail themselves of the idea, which 
may be developed in many ways. Ina shadowy corner of 
the room a shelf was covered with a large quantity of. va- 
rious kinds of dried native grasses, over which the beauti- 
ful Spanish moss of Florida was hanging in festoons from 
short branches until it almost touched the tops or mingled _ 
with the grasses. Within it looked as dreamy and as dark 
as the recesses of the swamps and forests. Just among 
the grasses, and half concealed by the hanging moss, stood 
a beautiful, small, snow white heron, nicely and perfectly 
stuffed, and looking remarkably life-like. He seemed to 
be standing in his native marsh, and his attitude was as if 
he had just spied the observer, and, startled by the intru- 
sion, was about to take flight. The poise of the head and 
the wild glance of the eye were perfect. The illusion was 
complete, and the whole formed one af the most tasteful 
and beautiful decorations for a parlor we have ever seen. 
fiat Te A 
—The efforts now being made in Colorado for the pres- 
ervation of the timber are of the most praiseworthy kind. 
Mining interests are suffering from the wanton destruction 
of the timber. The Governor attributes this wanton waste 
either to the recklessness or maliciousness of parties by whom 
entire districts of timber are fired and destroyed, and ad- 
vocates stringent measures more severe than those already 
existing, and that a standing reward be offered for the ap- 
prehension all who violate the law in this particular. 


Slatural Histary. 
THE WHITEATAILED PTARMIGAN.—Lago- 
pus leucurus. 
ee 
Eprtor ForEst anp SrREAM:— 
The Lagopus leucurus is the smallest of its genus, and inhabits the 
highest ranges of the Rocky Mountains. It was first taken by Douglas 
and presented to the Zoological Society of London. Since then speci- 
mens of it have been taken by the U. 8. Expeditions, and during the 
last summer I collected several adults and one young chick while in the 
Sierra Madre Mountains with the U. 8. Geological Survey under Dr. F. 
V. Hayden. The White tailed Ptarmigan is the only one of its family 
that is found in the Sonthern Rocky Mountains. During the summer 
months they are found in pairs néar the snow banks on the bare tops of 
the mountains. Their nests I have seen on several occasions, all of 
which had been deserted by the young. They are generally placed in 
some little cavity among the loose rocks, and are constructed of dried 
grasses. The nests are small in proportion to those of the different spe- 
cies of grouse, and scantily built. In fact they select just such places 
for their nest in the rocks of the mountains as the Uria gryllz (black guille- 
mot) would on the rocky islands of the Atlantic ocean. I do not think 
the Lagopus leucurus ever has more than three or four young at a brood, 
as I have seen pairs of old birds with their young on several occasions, 
and at such times have never observed more than four chicks in a fam- 
ily. It is barely possible that their numbers may have been lessened by 
being devoured by hawks or by the cold rains, which may have chilled 
and killed them. It is a well known fact to most Naturalists that large 
numbers of the young ruffed grouse often perish from exposure during 
late springs accompanied by cold rains. I have several times found them 
dead and in a dying state, caused by exposure in the woods near Spring- 
field, Mass. I do not think that is the case with the young Ptarmigans. 

- however, as they are hatched late in the season, and last spring was a fa- 
vorable one for their propagation. Neither do I think they are destroyed 
by hawks, as there are none where the Ptarmigans breed, with the ex- 
ception of a few strageling sparrow hawks, which are rarely seen. 
Therefore I think the Lagopus leucurus has but three or four eggs at a 
sitting, and but one brood in a season. They have a continued moult 
which lasts during the summer months and the variation in their plum- 
age is so great thatit is almost impossible to find two individuals in the 
same plumage. During the months from April to September their 
plumage is very scant and ragged; but when in their full winter plum- 
age their feathers are heavy and compact, which gives them a much 
larger appearance than when seen in the summer dress, mottled with 
brown, and grayish white. The tailat all times is pnre white. They 
are generally known in Colorado as White and Mountain Quails by the 
hunters, miners and ranchmen. When with their young they will fight 
the ornithological robber, flying so near as to hit one with their wings, 
in their endeavor to protect their chickens. Both male and femule are 
equally courageous, and will defend their young. In the summer they 
are very tame, and when approachcd will run among the rocks or in the 
dwarf willows, a few yards from the hunter, and squat and will not con- 
tinue their retreat until the hunter is upon them. When raised they fiy 
in a straight line for seventy-five or a hundred yards, and alight on some 
elevated rock, stretching out the neck its full length to see ifihey are 
followed, and if nothing is seen to excite their suspicion they walk off 
from the rocks and commence to feed as usual. During deep snows in 
the winter the Ptarmigan descend from the mountains and feed in the 
edges of the timber and on the hill sides. Last winter some were seen 
as far east as South Park, Colorado, feeding on the foothills. 
They are gregarious in winter. The White-tailed Ptarmigan is 26.25 
inches in extent and 14.50 inches long; eye. hazel; superciliary mem- 
brane, red; toes, feathered half their length in summer, and are entirely 
covered with hair-like feathers in the winter; claws, blackish—lighter 
at their tips, long, broad and strong, rounded above, concaye beneath, 
arched, edges sharp, and in some individuals the claws are notched on 
the sides. Jos, H. Barry, U. 8. G. Survey. 
(Dr. F, V. Hayden in charge.) 
SS 1 SS 
“DO QUAIL VOLUNTARILY RETAIN 
TE EEN SC kiN a 
ge 
Epitor Forust and STREAM:— : 
It has long been a question of argument whether the ortyx Virginvanus, 
or quail, can retain its scent or not at its pleasure. Certaiuly every © 
sportsman has noticed, after haying flushed a covey, and marked it 
down and scattered it in some open grass field or tussock meadow, how 
much more difficult it is torestart the simgle birds than he expected, in 
fact how totally at fault his dogs appear to be notwithstanding their re- 
liability and superiority, and only until almost trodden upon willthe 
quail whirr from under his feet or the setter’s nose. : 
Iam satisfied they give out no scent at this time, but by no means con- 
vinced they possess the power of retaining it as some argue, for when the 
frightened covey is started, and having been shot at, in their haste to 
flee from danger they pitch directly into aspot and alight without run- 
ning afterwards, into the smallest space possible in order to hide, and 
their feathers are pressed closely against the body from which the scent 
proceeds, and none for atime tells the tale to the pointer and setter. 
Not until the bird has moved can He be pointed, and the sportsman 
having shot at the flushed covey, goes directly where he has marked 
them down, which occupies but little time, and he wastes much labor in 
tramping them up; if onthe contrary he waits ten or fifteen minutes 
quietly, and the-quail have gotten over their fright, and moye a little, he 
will most certainly have his dog point them singly. 
While resting on the side of a field the past November, I noticed a quail 
under full headway, pursued by a hawk, pitch into a growth of high 
grass bordering a small pond, and escape, while the hawk disappointed in 
his first chase began a search in the grass, trusting to his sharp eye to 
find his prey. Knowing exactly to a foot where the quail alighted, but 
with the intention of killing the hawk, I crept to the pond and shot the 
robber down, and then called my dog for the purpose of seeing if he could 
point the quail. 
I saw it crouched closely to the ground, and in no direction could get 
a stand from my dog, noted for his superior nose. I called him off and 
patiently waited for the bird to move, and could distinctly see its move- 
ments, if any were made. After a lapse of a few minutes the bird turned 
over as if to change its position, still hugging the ground inits fright. I 
then moved towards it with ‘‘Grouse,”’ and he stood staunchly. 
I would like the opinion of some of your correspondents as to this 
question. “Homo.”* 
oe oe _____—_—_. 
AS TO PORCUPINES. F 
paler 
New York, January 19, 1874. 
Epitor Forrst AND STREAM: > 
An article in your columns of January 8th, 1874, in relation to porcu- 
pines, suggests to me this communication, which I hope will help to cor 
rect the erroneous idea, but very general one, (even among those who re 
side in the parts of the country where these animals are plentiful,) tha 
the porcupine shoots its quills. By experiments I have not only com- 
pletely satisfied myself that they do not “shoot” or “‘throw”’ their quills, 
bunt also that they can at will strike with their offensive and defensive 
weapon, the tail, without leaving quills in the object struck: My experi- 
ments were made with the animal known in New England as the “hedge 
hog,” the quills of which vary from one quarter inch to four inches in 
length. 
An account of the capture of one alive may be of interest. At Con- 
way, N. H., in the latter part of a summer afternoon, I was driving down 
e 
