Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-04-13
THE HOME GARDEN FOR
PLEASURE AND PROFIT
BY JOHN BARTRAM

have received the following pathetic
communication, which calls FOR a first aid
article, in connection with other requests
from readers who wish to plant window
boxes. Here is the plea and the plight of
the lady who dwells in a boarding house
hope her room Is up in the attic, as then
her window box will get some OF the
best light and more than the share Of sun
allotted windows under the circumstances.
Friend John Bartram:
| am so interested I'm ali the fasoi-
mating things that you have to say
about flowers and how to grow them,
but alas ] am one of those much to
be pitied creatures who have no gar
den to potter In.
live in a boarding house. But do
you think flowers should be denied me
altogether or the pleasure of growing
them2 I have been dreaming of
window box. My room, however, only
gets the north light. What would
you suggest that plant in boxes? 1
should like TO have continuous blos-
soming UNFORTUNATE
OF course, the fact that the windows
get only the north light reduces the pos
slbilittes and also rather precludes con
tnuous blossoming. But there can be
gardening without a garden and so In.
terestinE Will the occupation become that
the absence of constant bloom will be
lost sight of In the fascinating work and
blessed green of the foliage.
The window box or boxes must be se-
curely moored to the window lodges for
the safety of passersby, In case OF a
high wind 1t need not be costly; very
serviceable green-painted box can be had
at the stores for half dollar II will
soon be hidden beneath it's canopy of
green, anyhow. If the box is TO be a per.
manent institution it might be well to
buy one of the EinC-lined sort, in any
case four holes should be bored at the
bottom near the corners to make drain
age. Care should be taken not to water
50 much that the overflow will drip down
on the heads of pedestrians
Regular watering before the sun strikes
the window or after II has paid it's call
is one secret of success with window
boxes. The other is the proper kind of
soil.
Many persons refuse to start window
boxes on account of previous i'll ex-
periences. Their boxes began all right
and the flowers bloomed for few weeks
after which the foliage wilted and with
cred away. The reason was that the
plant food became exhausted and what
wonder when 1t was not Il very lavish
set-out in 'the beginning and was not re-
newed from time 20 time? If you want
window box that will be a constant de-
light, whether you have a northern or
other and better exposure, choose your
soil we'll in the beginning. II will pay
TO make trip to the woods and bring
home a generous basketful of the black
leaf mold in which the wild flowers
flourish. Scrapings from the street or
few shovelfuls of the soil from n city
backyard will not do.
Plants grown in a window box are re-
stricted in their area for growth and
their supply of accessible food Hence
substitutes must be made Immediately
available.
A rich loamy SOIL one that crumbles
when n lump is rubbed between the palms,
is n requisite. The woodland loan is a
part of the formula for such u soil. Win
dow box plants require even better soil
than the same varieties would need in the