The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1884-05-08
window Boxes.

Among the numerous plans for the COM
ing summer made by the great army Of
flower lovers all over the broad land, [
hope many have included one, two or
more window boxes It can be said in
their favor that they offer one of the
easiest methods of gardening, and one
Of the prettiest forms of outdoor decor
alton; and to the large class, who,
through i'll health or many cares, are
debarred from the ordinary flower gar
den, they are especially suitable. They
give also rare chances for richness Of
tone and harmony of color, and an
artists work may be as plainly visible in
IL well-filled window box as in many
moro pretentious things.
was especially struck with this lat
ter fact, one day, last summer, when
before the windows of an old farm house
| saw so beautiful q combination of
form and color that I stopped and
begged permission to examine closely.
The brackets that held the window box
es were fastened in place with large
screws and could he easily removed,
and the boxes made of implanted pine
nailed together. Up each side Of the
window was rustic ladder, made by
fastening slender cedar stick about
four feet long in each corner of the box,
then lacking bits of twisted messy
branches irregularly back and forth till
the desired height was reached; then
longer pieces formed an arch over the
top. In one box a white abutilon
formed ne center piece, with scarlet
geraniums and sweet breathed hello
tropes on either side, while delicate
maurandyas, with their dainty leaves
and blossoms. twined around and over
tho rustic supports. Then, mingling
with the stronger growing German
ivy, senecio scandens fell in long festoons
from the arch above Bulbs of oxalis
deppi, which had been tucked in here
and there, furnished abundance of pref
tily marked leaves, and the outside of
the box was completely hidden by q
perfect mat of othonna, tradescantia.
German ivy and dew plant. The other
box had large, double, purple fuschia
in the centre, with white geraniums on
either side, surrounded 10y quantities Of
mignonette and the same charming con-
fusion Of dropping vines. These boxes
were sheltered by veranda, but had
an unlimited supply of sunshine during
the middle of the day, and were perfect
marvels Of luxuriant growth.
Bogonias are among the most suitable
plants for this kind of gardening, and
the tuberous-ro rooted varieties reduce
the labor to minimum. A box on my
own veranda, last summer, contained
our of the latter, while Madeira
vines clambered over the
lattice work of slender will
lows to the ends, and wreathed the up
per part of the window with their own
peculiar drapery of green leaves, and
family sweet flowers. A q quantity of va
riegated pcriwinkles completed the eff
feet. On the approach Of cold weather,
such box can easily be removed to
warmer quarters, gradually dried off,
and then placed in frost-proof room or
dry cellar until the following spring.
A collection of fuchias, half a dozen
different kinds, in large box is also a
charming, and unlike specimen pot
plants, they can be left to their own de-
vices, and neither trimmed nor trained.
For good sized box no vine is more
desirable than the cobea scandens, and
it is easily grown from seed. Two little
pots filled with moist earth and placed
- side by side in an empty match box, the
>gpaces around them tightly packed with
wet moss, the seeds planted edge down,
the whole covered with d pane Of glass,
set in warm place and not watered,
have year after year started beautiful
little plants for me. 4. After the seeds
have germinated, they ask little favor
Of any one, and their rapidity Of growth
n is something maxwell ous. :...