Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1893-05-10
Covers, proving that the t.sts 1. there and

flowers, proving that the taste In there and
only awaits developmAnt This scarcity
of window boxes is striking, for II seems
to me, after some observation, sfhst man
kind, or, perhaps, womankind, generally,
has an inherent fondnsss for growing
plants In boxes and unnatural conditions.
In walking or driving through the country
one who observes gardens must notice that
large, IL not the largest, portion of the
cultivation of flowers In carried on In ele-
waited boxes, pans and the like, even when
there is available land by the scrs Ons
often wishes that these boxes could be
transferred to the lodges of city windows
to brighten the dreary streets. There is q
great fisld here for q concerted effort.
Fancy the eject Of city block lighted up
with display of we'll grown plants In all
the available windows. Certainly the
means are simple and the expense not
great; in fact, q mere trifie for the effect
which could be produced, for the plants
best adapted for the purpose are the COM
'Snonest and the cheapest, and the boxes
are O very minor consideration: A street
garden Is not the place for dainty effects,
which would be dwarfed by the surround
tngs. Here we want gay. snowy flowers
and foliage and broad effects. The win
dow garden Is one where we can safely
give way to our inherent love for barbaric
color and gay arrangements.
There are numerous varieties of boxes
on sale, but as these are seldom of the
measurements desired 1t will be usually
necessary to have them made to order.
have tried tile boxes lined with zluc and
those made of iron, both of which are me-
cessarily heavy, and on the whole prefer
plain wooden box, simply constructed of
chestnut or walnut. This should be about
eight inches deep, Of the length desired,
and as wide as the ledge will admit, with
simple brackets to support a slight pro-
lection. This box should be securely
nailed together. When it ia to occupy q
position in full sunlight partition should
be put in lengthwise in the front part of
the box, leaving an air space of, say, half
an inch between this and the front to keep
the plant roots az cool as possible By
tsckipg a strip of oilcloth of the same
hght-eelored tile pattern around the box
and finishing with molding at the edges,
one can produce a box as Effective at die
tsncs as the highest priced article. A
good effect csn also be secured by using
lincrusta and brorzlng or painting 1t taste
fully trust none of the readers of Gar
den and Forest paint their boxes and tubs
q hery scarlet.
The boxes should have about three inch
es of broken-Gharcoal for drainage, over
which there should be thin slics of sod, +,
grass eide down, to keep the soil from
washing through. There should be few
holes bored in each end of the box, near
the bottom, to insure against excess of
moisture from rains or overwhelming. The
soil should be rich, but open-goOd potting
coil, in short. The care will depend, not
only on the exposure, but, of course, on
the various plants grown A mulch of
come kind is an advantage, cocosnut- fiber,
as odorless, being tine best. Success viii
usually depend very much on careful wa
teriny, especially when plants requiring
very diverse treatment in this respect are
grown in the came box. II nssturiiums
or other plants requiring somewhat dry
treatment are grown with those needing
more frequent watering, an addition of
some sifted sphsgnum to the soil in which
the latter are plunged will be helpful In
obviatiDg the necessity for frequent irri-
cation. For q sunny window q very
bright and striking effect can be produced
by q row Of nssturtiums (Ftopaolum ma
jor) backed by mass of Madam Pollock
gersniums. Any of the scarlet-howered
Jonsle gerniums are excellent in suoh q
position If care Is taken to select the sum-
mer- Towering ones. With the nsstur-
tiums should be grown a row of the vsrie-
gated gill over-the ground (cylechoms) to
cover the base of the nasturtium vines
should they become bare. A well grown
box 80 planted would attract attention
from the most careless observer. Perhaps
| frequent boxes of this character would be
rather dazzling in a quiet city street, but
l there are numerous variations which viii
| occur to everyone familiar with flowers,
In selecting plants for such positions pref
erence should be given, as far as possible,
| to those with smooth foliage. which will
not collect dust and are readily cleansed
by showering. The best effect is usually
secured by a very limited variety o,
plants. OF course the desirsble plants for
boxes will vary according to the exposure.
Plants will not flower in the absence of all
sunlight, and in shady positions effects
must be produced from, plants with vsrie-
gated, glsucous and silvery foliage. Vines
are of the FIRST Importance in window
boxes, giving a touch of vivsoity az they
sway TO every passing breeze.