ers=,
whereas patterned tiles are rather apt to take one's attention away from
them. In summer, certainly, they have the advantage of preserving the
earth in a moist condition, and in smoky towns they help to give a bright,
clean look to the houses so decorated. Old-fashioned houses, however,
should always have their window boxes made in the virgin cork style, as
they accord better with their surroundings.

When strong wooden boxes have been procured, it is quite easy to tack on
the cork one's self, provided one has a sharp knife and a good supply of
long nails, and it is =most fascinating work=; it is advisable to wear
gloves during the process, as the hands may become rough otherwise. Seven
pounds of the cork may be had for a shilling of any seedsman, and three
lots will do two boxes of the average size. =The soil should be fairly
light=, like that used for potting, but before the boxes are filled,
several holes, bored with a red-hot poker, should be made in the bottom,
and a thin layer of "crocks" spread over them; do not quite fill the box
with soil, but leave an inch or two free to allow of watering, and even
more if a layer of moss or =cocoa-nut fibre= is used to cover the surface
of the soil; this is certainly an improvement till the plants get large
enough to cover it themselves. Only =artificial manures= must be used to
fertilize the roots, and even those must not be given too often, but only
in the hot weather, when growth is quick, as they are stimulating to a
great degree.

=Constant renewals are necessary=, if the boxes are to look gay all the
year round; even the best gardeners acknowledge this. If continuous
bloomers are chosen, however, the cost is considerably modified. Perhaps
the =winter shrubs= are the most expensive item; yet they are often chosen
without much regard to cheerfulness; indeed, the favourite kinds present a
most funereal appearance.

=Aspect= has always a good deal to do with the selection of plants, but in
the case of windows facing north and east, it is the cold winds more than
the absence of sun which restricts the choice. Shelter is a great factor
in their well-being.

=SHOWY IN WINTER.= In a cosy box with a western exposure, and protected on
the north, the golden-tipped _retinosporas_ make =a pretty show during the
cold months= of the year, and form a welcome change from the prevailing
dark green tones. _Cotoneasters_, _pernettyas_, and the variegated
_euonymus_ are also very