The Monticellonian., 1915-08-19
THE WINDOW GARDEN
By BEEN E. RExFORD.

1t may not seem reasonable to the reader to treat of winter window gar dens in midsummer, but l careful con sideration of the subject from my point of view will convince the flower loving person. I feel quite sure, that this article Is timely
 Look over the window gardens of your neighbors, in winter, when they ought to be at their best to give the fullest degree of satisfaction, and l think you will find the majority of them far from satisfactory.
 The plants will be small, much too small to be ornamental; and if you keep an eye on them throughout the season you will find that few of them reach the Towering stage before March, which is to say that most specimens in the ordinary house col lection of plants give few or no flow CTS at the period when a window gar den should afford us the greatest amount of pleasure.
 What We aim at is flowers in winter not in the spring, when the blossoms of the outdoor garden are at hand.
 Said woman to me, not long since: T don't see why 1t is that cant have flowers in the winter. Some of my as good care of their plants as 1 do. Why. some of them don't repot their plants at all, still l notice they have flowers from them; and I go over all my plants just before winter sets in, and repot them and cut them back or start new ones and take pains to give them the best soil and am so careful about watering, and fertilizing, and airing. but most of them will not blos- som for nie. They look healthy and they grow well, but one doesn't care for just leaves.
 Now, this womans failure to obtain flowers from her plants was explained by three words she made use of-"just before winter" The attention she gave the plants at that period came several months too late.
 The fact is, as anyone will readily see when they come to think the mat ter over, plant cannot be satisfac- torily developed in two or three months. Not much can be expected from plant that is not made ready for winter until that season is about upon us.
 In order to secure a good collection nf dCiun tN1o fN ,.rt,. one must begin to get ready during the summer. By the term "good-sized," do not mean large plants in the usual sense of the word, but rather plants of sufficient development to justify one in expecting flowers from them for the holidays
 Age is often more important factor in plant culture than mere size. Young plants seldom bloom while develop ment is taking place most rapidly. They must .'get their growth" so to speak. before we can expect them to bend their energies to the production of flowers.
 Therefore, l advise the owner of a collection of house plants from which she wishes to secure flowers all through the winter season to get the plants under way now. If some of them are large. cut them back and al low them to renew themselves wholly, as to branches, during the months be- tween now and winter
 Report now. If necessary, and shift such as seem to need larger pots If young plants are to be used. procure them at once and keep them going ahead steadily.
 Do not be so anxious to secure rapid development that you fall into the error of overfeeding. Simply aim to bring about a strong. healthy growth. and as long as plant seems to be