est. Green is always the best
setting for plants. Nature made this colour scheme. We only follow her
lead.

"After the box is made, and the paint dry, it must be filled.

"Do any of you girls happen to know just where in the school room the
boxes are to be placed?"

"One goes into a south window, and I believe the other is to be in a
north one," replied Dee.

"That certainly tells us enough to help us in selecting plants for these
boxes. The kind of plants to place in the box depends upon whether the
box is to go into a bright sunny window or into one which gets little
or no sun. Everyone knows the most satisfactory plant of all for sunny
windows is the geranium. It is easy enough to get them for schools
without money, because this is the time when everyone's mother is taking
up plants for the winter, some of which are always thrown away. Many
large, old plants slipped make six or more good little chaps. Begonias
are most satisfactory; you can plant these either in sun or shade. A
good one for a shady window is the one called the 'beefsteak' begonia.

"Fuchsias make a fine show. If you wish to have a plant of some height
do not choose a fern or palm, for these plants need so much water they
should always be planted by themselves in single pots or in fern dishes.
The amount of water required for a palm would cause ordinary plants,
like geraniums, to decay. So choose plants which take up about the same
quantity of water. For height, then, one might plant a flowering maple.
These are fine in leaf and blossom. So they add much to the box.
Dracenas are good for both sun and shade; so, too, is pandanus. The
foliage of this is pleasing. Much is added to the general effect if some
plants which form long hangers are put in, and planted close to the
front side of the box. In sun or shade the Wandering Jew grows. A bit
breaks off; it is stuck back into the earth and again it grows. Pieces
cut and put into water grow equally well. Trailing over the sides of the
vessel they are in, they make a pleasing effect in a corner, or by the
side of a window.

"An important thing to be remembered in connection with window boxes is
that the closer you plant the better the growth of the plants. It sounds
wrong. We think that plants ought to have space to grow in. They should,
usually; but space defeats the object of the window box, because the
idea is to have top growth and blossom. If you give plants a chance to
grow under the ground th