The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1914-12-03
The Indoor
Window Box
frHE indoor window box, properly
n1,n~oJ o-l k--I


to the housewife who misses her
out-of-door garden during the win
ter months. 1t is a mistaken no.
ton that plants when kept in living
rooms use up certain elements of
the air in such quantities as to make
It unhealthful for individuals using
the room. 1t is much harder on
plants to be in a room with people
than for people to be in a room with
growing plants. Plants, indeed, use
ar, but use such a small proportion
mat the effect of the plant in the
room is negligible if the room is
ventilated at all. This also holds
good for cut flowers or plants In a
SICK room, although the odor of some
lowers may be depressing to the
patient, and bad for that reason.
A good depth for an indoor win
dow box is about IL inches. The
bottom Of the box should be COW
cred with stones and broken NOT
terry to give drainage and this should
De covered by a layer of moss to
prevent the soil above from work
Ing down through the stones. The
drainage and moss should take up
about three inches. The greater the
oooy OF soil above the moss the
more uniform 1t may be kept as to
moisture. The soil should come to
within an inch and a half or two
inches of the top of the box.
Make to Fit.
d indoor window box should be
made to fit into the window. To
got as much light as possible 1t
mould be level with the window. II
may be fastened with brackets or
laced on a table, or have legs
made for 1t. There should be a drip
pan beneath to keep water from soil
ing the floor. The box may rest d.
fectiy above the drip pan on legs
a an Inch to an inch high or the
box may be water-tight with the ex-
eept1on Of a hole at one end to let
q the water.
The top Of the soil should be al
lowed to become quite dry once in A
while. The results of watering will
teach the owner to regulate the SUD-
ply. Boxes may need watering in
sunshiny weather Especially toward
spring. every day, or at least every
other day; In cloudy mid-winter
weather not more than once a week,
AS a rule It is better to water light
" and frequently than heavily and
infrequently. The specialist of the
U. s. Department of Agriculture ad-
Uses this, although Just the reverse
Is considered best when watering IL
done out of doors in the summer.
Foliage Not Flowers for Window BOX.
A large proportion of the plants
IN a window box should be of the
same general character II the growth
Is to be successful. Plants Of differ
ont character need different treat
ment. 1t Is very difficult to raise
towering plants in a window box
with the exception Of ~begonias. Or
binary Towering plants are very ex-
acting, and will not find enough
light In the ordinary living room,
sven though placed near the window,
although they may do well In a con-
serVatory. The main object Of an
indoor window Is to furnish the
fresh appearance Of growing green
leaves rather than to raise flowers
indoors.
The Department Of Agriculture's
specialist make the following sug.
Eestions for a window box:
Begonias are one Of the most at
dactive plants that may be used for
IN indoor box. Both Towering and
Aon-flowertng varieties will give sat
isfaction; In fact, the Towering var
3ety Is one Of the few plants that
vii blossom indoors without spe-
dal cultivation. The begonia Is not
very particular in It's requirements
and will flourish with ordinary care.
Small ferns obtained from a flor
1T will flourish. These are partic-
llarly adapted to house culture, as
they do not require direct sunlight.
(Care Of ferns will be described In