New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-04-23
AS TO WINDOW BOXES
According to the Calendar Their
Season Is Here.
BY Martha McCuIloeh Williams.

ny the calendar the season NJ window
boxes is here, whatever the daily weather
report may prove TO the contrary. Where
fore It may be worth while 10 say few
things regarding the boxes and their con-
geners. the front flower beds or the rustic
stands
Firstly. as to precaution: Unless your
window ledge is exceptionally wide, do not
set a box upon it without A fastening
Gales arise that play hob with movables,
to the imminent peril of those in the
streets below. Where there are built-in
window guards fastenngs are not needed.
Otherwise, have strong hooks moving upon
staples set in the window frames, and place
other staples TO receive them upon the
sides or ends Of the boxes. Let the hooks
go in point down, then they will never fall
out. Thus secured. your conscience will be
easy, no matter II there are floods and cy-
clones.
Put layer of broken pots. broken glass
or china at least an inch deep over the
bottom OF your box. Lay upon II a thin
covering Of something fibrous-as moss, ex-
celsior or paper cut in fringes and crum-
pled-this 10 prevent earth from falling
through and choking up the drainage. The
box bottom will, of course, have been fur
nished with few holes. Only few are
needed; there Is little danger of water
logging things outside. Above the fbrous
matter MI in good, rich earth-the richer
the better if you mean to plant perma-
nent box.
Contrarlwise, IL there Is 10 be shifting
from one sort OF bloom TO another, put
sand I'm the boxes, the cleaner the better.
In this bury the pots of blooming things,
setting them rim deep. II you want trail
ers over the edge. put section Of rich
earth along the outer side. and set the
roots Of ivy, box or whatever vine you
choose compactly in It. They will creep out
into the sand before the summer is over,
but do no harm there, searching about for
scraps OF food among the pots. The pots
can he changed at will. one fortnight you
may have a velvety glory of pansies, set
off by fringes Of fairy white alyssum the
next riotous primroses, or pert outstanding
daisies, with later the whole gamut OF
geraniums-pink, white, scarlet, crimson,
single and dOuhse. Also the peargoniums,
velyety as the pansies themselves and
hotChed as was never Josephs coat. Each
and several they make a brave showing.
But II Is well. II there are several boxes, TO
remember that uniformity in planting is
ever 30 much more effective than variety.
Unless, indeed, one plants for sequence
as a window all green, with ivy ferns,
dwarf palms; next one in whites or the
palest spring tints. following which there
may he a mass of glowing color. Regard
must be had likewise as TO the end of the
box making. If 1t be outside decorative
effect then by all means make it uniform
but II the boxes are for the pleasure Of the
indwellers, moreover too far apart 10 swear
one at another, fill them variously, and
axe Joy in their several manners Of bloom
Pansiesr will not last, no matter how you
care for them. BY mid-June, at the latest,
they are scraggy, small of flower and
yeritable nurseries of plant lice. NOtwith-