Houses to Let. 



2>Z 



moved. Before applying the plaster to the 

 pot the latter must be soaked in water for 

 one hour, or the plaster will not adhere. 

 If the pot is an old one it must be thorough- 

 ly scrubbed with a stiff brush in warm water 

 to remove all minute vegetable growths. 

 Before applying the plaster to the rim of the 

 pot and against the wall, the wall must be 

 thoroughly moistened or the plaster will not 

 adhere. When applying the plaster about 

 the rim of the pot, and against the wall, use 

 it thick and pasty and apply rapidly. After 

 the plaster has set, the board prop is re- 

 moved and work on another pot begun. 

 When all are in position the plaster is given 



Fig. 3. 



six hours to harden and dry before putting 

 on the rough ornamental coating, as the 

 weight of this might break away the pots 

 from the wall. This rough coating is ap- 

 plied with an old tea or table spoon well 

 greased with lard or suet fat, to prevent the 

 plaster from adhering to the spoon and 

 forming into an unmanageable mass. When 

 applying the plaster, small living branches 

 of vines can be imbedded in the plaster, and 

 before the entrance a small twig or rustic 

 branch is fastened for a perch. 



After the plaster is thoroughly dry two 

 heavy coats of boiled linseed oil mixed with 

 a " dryer " are applied. The oil protects the 

 plaster from the actions of rains and the at- 

 mosphere. The pots can be painted with 

 a dull green or any of the grays or browns 

 that match the colors of the barks of our 

 native trees, or that correspond with the 

 grays or dull browns of our various earths. 



Lichens and mosses can be fastened to the 

 houses by imbedding them in the plaster 

 when it is soft. 



A hanging bird house can be constructed 

 of a nine-inch flower-pot and an old milk 

 pan, as shown in Fig. 2. A hole is made in 

 the bottom of the pot and pan large enough 

 for a turned picket or round stick to pass 

 through, so as to allow for the fastening of 

 the straw which is to form the thatched 

 roof. A small hole is bored through the 



Fig. 4. 



picket into which a cross pin of either iron 

 or wood is inserted. On this pin the bot- 

 tom of the pan rests, otherwise it would 

 slide down the picket. The sides of the 

 milk pan are punched full of holes to allow 

 the plaster to pass through and clinch, as it 

 will not adhere to the smooth surface of the 

 tin. 



The pan is to be filled with earth, in which 

 may be planted Tradescantia, German ivy, 

 or moneywort, which will droop over and 

 twine in the branches of the " cat screen." 

 Some of the more hardy succulent plants, 

 such as house leeks, creeping Charley, Seni- 

 pervivum, etc., do well in dry locations. 



This bird house can also be fastened to 



