A window containing a collection of healthy and blooming plants stamps
the owner as one possessing refined tastes and a kind disposition,
together with a love for all that is beautiful in nature. Window boxes
ornamented with English or American tiles, and lined inside with zinc,
are too costly for the size of young people's pockets. Besides, there
does not begin to be as much fun in a "store" window box as is
contained in one made at home with the assistance of father or big
brother.
A well-made window box for the cultivation of plants during the winter
and summer months will last a number of years with ordinary care.
[Illustration: FIG. 1.--WINDOW BOX COMPLETE.]
Fig. 1 represents a home-made window box when completed. The box
consists of well-seasoned one-inch white pine thoroughly nailed
together. At one end of the box (A) a hole is bored to allow all surplus
water to drain off and into the pan, also shown at A. To prevent the
water and moisture contained in the soil from rotting and warping the
wood-work, several coats of hot asphalt are applied with an old
paint-brush--asphalt varnish will also answer--thus closing up all
possible leaks, and thoroughly protecting the wood-work. There is no
rule for the proportion of window boxes; the requirements of the plants
used and the widths of windows and sills govern the proportion of the
boxes. If the windows intended for boxes are very wide, braces of wood
should be fastened across the tops and bottoms of the boxes to
strengthen them, and extra feet nailed on to support them.
All boxes as well as flower-pots containing growing plants should have a
thorough "bottom drainage." This is accomplished by placing on the
bottom of the box a layer of broken earthenware or old bones broken into
small pieces. The bones answer a double purpose, that of drainage and a
supply of plant food (ammonia, etc.).
[Illustration: FIG. 2.--SPRUCE-WOOD PANEL.]
Fig. 2 is a spruce-wood panel. A square is first drawn on the outside of
the window box; this square is painted a light green, to contrast with
the brown of the spruce twigs. After the paint has dried, the guide
lines are ruled from corner to corner through the centre. Small twigs of
dried spruce-wood of a uniform thickness (about that of a lead-pencil)
are selected. If the leaves do not fall off readily, the twigs are
placed in an oven and thoroughly dried, so that they fall off at the
slightest touch. The twigs are bevelled at the ends, as shown in the
engraving. In the centre of the panel is nailed a square of wood equal
in thickness to the spruce-wood twigs. This square is painted white, and
is also ornamented with spruce twigs and the small cones of the spruce,
the intention being to produce an elevated centre to the panel. The
spruce twigs are firmly fastened with small brads. Over all two or three
coats of furniture varnish are applied to develop the rich colors of the
spruce-wood, as well as to protect it from outside moisture.
[Illustration: FIG. 3.--CONE PANEL.]
Fig. 3 is a cone panel. The outer border is composed of the burrs of the
liquid-amber tree ("alligator-wood"), with corners of pine cones. The
next line consists of a band of spruce branches with the cones attached.
The centre is a sheet of white-birch bark, with hemlock cone corners.
The ground consists of two coats of paint of a cream-white tint. The
cones are fastened on with small brads, or pins that have been shortened
to a convenient length.
[Illustration: FIG. 4.--GRAPE-VINE PANEL.]
Fig. 4 is a tasteful grape-vine panel. The canes are first softened in
boiling water or steam to make them pliable for bending into curves. The
shorter curved branches consist of short sections neatly joined to the
leading curves. The centre is composed of a frame-work of liquid-amber
wood, with grape-vine monogram or other device. The grain of the white
pine when brought out with the varnish answers for a groundwork.
[Illustration: FIG. 5.--OIL-CLOTH PANEL.]
Fig. 5 is a panel covered with marbled oil-cloth (such as is used for
covering tables and desks) of a light tint. It is first cut exactly the
size of the panel, on which it is glued, the edges being secured by
nailing on to them narrow strips of floor oil-cloth of a checkered or
vine pattern. The corner pieces and centre consist of simple and neat
patterns in oil-cloth, but rich in contrasts of colors. Brilliant
oil-colors can be used for borderings and framing in lines; intense
blacks, reds, and whites are best. Over all, a coat of varnish is
applied. In Fig. 6, the materials consist of "clinkers," or slag, from
furnaces, stoves, glass-house furnaces, and iron foundries. These are
fastened to the wood-work of the box by means of hot asphalt.
[Illustration: FIG. 6.--CLINKER PANEL.]
The corner-pieces in the illustration are composed of clinkers of a
light color. The central group consists of vitrified clinkers from an
iron foundry or glass-house. The handsomest clinkers are to be obtained
from glass-houses, as they are composed of more or less glass of
different colors.
After the groups of clinkers are firmly fastened in position, a coating
consisting of varnish, mixed with any of the chrome greens is applied to
all parts of the exposed wood-work. The clinkers look much more
brilliant when touched up here and there with gold or copper bronze.
This is accomplished by applying varnish to the clinkers, which before
it dries, touch on the bronze with a clabber of cotton or wool.
[Illustration: FIG. 7.--MOSAIC PANEL.]
Fig. 7 consists of cross sections of various kinds of woods, which are
well seasoned previous to being glued together.
Straight branches of red cedar, black walnut, red birch, etc., etc., are
selected; these are cut into uniform lengths, and tightly bound together
with strong cord or wire, after which a sufficient quantity of _very_
hot glue is poured on one end of the bundle to fill up all the spaces
and join the branches together. After the glue has become dry and hard,
the bundle is sawn into cross sections of one-half inch thickness.
These cross sections are smoothed down with emery paper and sawn into
strips, which are glued on to the window box when forming the panel. The
centre of the panel is composed of various kinds of woods, polished to
bring out the grain, after which they are inlaid, the spaces between
being filled in with glue. Over all, several coats of varnish are
applied.
A handsome panel may be made of plaster of Paris. On a sheet of wrapping
paper, exactly the size of the panel, draw the design to be worked in
plaster.
In mixing the plaster a solution of glue and water is used; the glue is
for the purpose of delaying the setting of the plaster, in order to gain
time to trim up the plaster when necessary. To the glue and water is
added the coloring material. A small quantity of plaster is mixed with
the glue water at a time, to the consistency of a thick paste. The
plaster is urged from the point of the spoon with which it is applied
with a pointed stick that has been thoroughly oiled to prevent the
plaster from adhering to it. Some practice is required to guide the
plaster so as to keep it within the outlines of the drawing. Another way
is to make a coil or cornucopia of stout, well-glazed, and thoroughly
greased writing-paper, made small at the point. A quantity of the
plaster is placed in the coil, and by gently squeezing the top of the
horn a continuous stream is forced out; this may, by moving the horn in
straight or curved lines, be made to fill in any pattern drawn. After
the plaster patterns have thoroughly dried they are glued in position in
the window box and well varnished.
[Illustration: THE PRINCE'S FIRST RIDE.]
[Illustration: OUR POST-OFFICE BOX.]