“WHY, Billy, the very thought of a garden like this almost frightens me,” cried Mary Frances. “I don’t believe I ever, ever can remember one-quarter of the names!”
“Pshaw!” exclaimed Billy, “that’s just like a girl! I wouldn’t let a few names scare me! Besides, there aren’t so many names; some are repeated in each list. That’s not a very difficult garden, if managed just as Miss Gardiner explained.”
“Oh, I’m not scared—exactly,” said Mary Frances, “not when I have such a wonderful teacher, ahem! Professor Billy, when does my next lesson come?”
“Can’t promise,” said Billy not knowing whether to be pleased or vexed, “next lesson begins work. Hello! I see by my note book, I’ve left out a part of this lesson. I suppose it is because we’ve never had window boxes that I overlooked this list.”
“Window gardens are almost like a doll’s garden, it seems to me,” said Mary Frances, as Billy started to read:
Suggestions for Planting of Window Boxes
1. Have the boxes made with small holes, or outlets, so that there may be good drainage; for although plants love to drink water, they do not enjoy having “soaking wet feet” all the time.
2. In the bottom of the box place some pebbles or broken stone; this, also, to make the drainage good.
3. Fill box with sifted sand and humus (or manure) very much as for seed boxes. See [Chapter XIV].