HOW I SHOULD BUILD 27 



ive. A mixture of crude oil and princess brown 

 was the result. I put it to a five year's test and 

 found it possessed all the qualities that were 

 claimed for It. The' strong suns and winter 

 storms of California soften exposed lumber, 

 even though it be white-washed several times, so 

 much that in a few years it will not hold nails. 



Crude oil is extremely cheap — I paid twenty- 

 five cents for five gallons— likewise the princess 

 brown. It is very disagreeable stuff to handle 

 and it is sometimes difficult to get a man to use 

 it; but its effect is so permanent that, I have 

 heard, it does not have to be applied a second 

 time. 



Therefore, go carefully over the houses, in- 

 cluding roofs and nests, and the framework of 

 the flypens with this mixtui-e and allow all to 

 dry thoroughly before putting to use. It takes 

 time to do it thoroughly, but it is worth while 

 doing well. It is not only a thorough preserva- 

 tive, but is healthful and no vermin can exist in 

 it; besides being of so somber a color that it is 

 restful to the eyes in a land of glaring sunshine. 



There seems to be no rule for mixing, I 

 merely stirred the princess brown (which is a 

 powder) into the crude oil until it took on a 

 suitable color. Lumber thus treated has still 

 kept its strength and retained its color at the 



