The Monticellonian. [volume] (Monticello, Ark.) 1870-1920, 1917-09-28
WINDOW AND VERANDA BOXES
BY EREN e. REXEoRp.

Cy STGs
Where vines are lacking most ex-
cellent substitute for them about the
veranda is furnished by plants grown
In boxes made to fit the spaces be-
tween the posts.
These boxes the boys of the family
will be delighted to make. if they are
like most boys | know, If you will fur
nish them good tools to make them
with
They should be at least foot wide
and foot deep and the timber of
which they are made should be of fair
ly good quality, for it Will have to re-
sist considerable pressure when the
box is filled with the soil
These boxes will be found most sat
isfactory If allowed to project outside
the veranda rail. They should be well
supported by braces running from the
bottom of the box on the outside to
the veranda floor.
Paint them some neutral color be-
fore filling them with soil.
If ordinary soil Is used you Will have
only an ordinary development of the
plants you set out TO grow In 1t, while
what you want is vigorous growth.
Therefore. send the children out
with shovels and baskets and instruct
them to gather the rotten vegetable
matter to be found in old fence cor
ners and about stumps and logs.
No matter how full of roots it is.
the nutriment you are In search of Is
there, and q few roots more or less
will not interfere with the plants you
propose to grow In it. On the con-
trary they will prove of positive bene-
fit as they will help to keep the soil
light and porous.
Before filling the boxes with soil.
bore a few holes in the bottom of them
to allow for the escape of surplus wa
ter. In all probability there will be no
surplus water to escape, but Ii is well
to be on the safe side. When you put
the soil into the boxes press 1t down
firmly. If dumped in lightly evapora-
ton will be rapid and the roots of your
plants may suffer In consequence.
At the outside of the box set vines
of quick development like German ivy
tradescontia, moneywort. or the ma
deira vines. These will soon hide the
box completely and after little they
will form screen for all that portion
of the veranda below the rail.
Morning glories can be planted here
and there along the box and trained
upon strings and made TO furnish
oh fnr hn do nc n
screen.
other Towering plants can be select
ed to suit individual taste. Almost
any plant can be used with reasonable
chance of success if care Is taken to
see that the soil in the box is always
kept moist. This is the secret of the
success of the culture of plants in
window and verahda boxes. De not be
satisfied with a quantity of water that
will wet the surface of the soil and
leaves that portion of il two or three
inches below almost as dry as before
any was applied.
Use it by the pailful and make sure
that the soil in the box Is moist. Here
Is where most persons fail in box gar
dening They use a pint where pail
full is needed they overlook the fact
that because of their elevated position
these boxes part rapidly with mois-
ture by evaporation.
Being exposed to hot air and wind
on every side they are likely 10 be-
come dry in very short time, and the
only way To prevent this is To make
it rule TO apply water in liberal
quantities every day. Do this and you
have no trouble in growing good plants
in them. Neglect to do this and you
will meet with the failure you de-
serve. While the ordinary window box
affords great deal of pleasure by the
flowers ii furnishes at the window sill.
IL furnishes no shade for the window.
Most delightful awnings can be made
with very little trouble by mailing
strips of lath together in square and
fastening them To the top of the win
dow, letting them slant downward in
front on the angle of the ordinary cloth
awning. Support them by braces run
ming from window frame TO their out
side edge. Cover them with coarse
wire netting.
Plant quick growing vines at the
ends of the window boxes, and train
these up the strings until they can take
hold of the netting that covers she
framework of the awning.
In short time you will have all the
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