January, 19 13 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



metal sheathing. That does not disturb the 

 wasp at all; when its time comes, it applies 

 itself with energy to its task, and soon bores 

 a hole through which it can escape. 



Holes made by these insects have been 

 found in tin roofs, and in the mint at 

 Vienna was a safe, the half-inch steel plates 

 of which the wasp had perforated. Some 

 extraordinary cases of their activity were 

 brought to the notice of the Academy of 

 Sciences in Paris. A barrel of cartridges 

 that had been stored away for some time 

 showed the ravages of the wasps in their 

 search for light and freedom. The insects 

 had not only eaten their way through the 

 wooden barrel, but through the cartridges 

 and leaden bullets as well. Other boxes of 

 cartridges dating from the Crimean War 

 were shown, riddled by wasp-borings. 



INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMS 

 CONGRESS 



THE French Government has decided to 

 convene an International Customs Con- 

 gress, to be held in Paris during the month 

 of May, 1913. This congress, which may 

 be regarded as a continuation of the cus- 

 toms congress held in Paris during the Ex- 

 position of 1900, is to be more limited, but 

 also more definite, in scope than the con- 

 gress of 1900. Discussion is to be con- 

 fined to the following five questions : ( 1 ) 

 The desirability of establishing an Inter- 

 national Bureau of Commercial Statistics ; 

 (2) regulations for commercial travelers 

 and the treatment of samples; (3) means 

 for dispensing with payment of duty in the 

 case of conditional imports; (4) the desir- 

 ability of having customs litigation referred 

 to expert bodies, and the character of such 

 bodies ; and 1 5 ) the advisability of con- 

 cluding an international agreement for the 

 purpose of adopting a uniform definition 

 of gross and net weights for assessing duty. 



THOSE WHO DO NOT THINK 



THE Eskimo, says Mr. Knud Rasmus- 

 sen in "The People of the Polar North," 

 does not count the days, and keeps no 

 record of time. All his thoughts are cen- 

 tered on hunting. 



Once I asked an Eskimo who seemed to 

 be plunged in reflection, "What are you 

 thinking about?" 



He laughed at my question, and said, 

 "Oh, it is only you white men who go in 

 so much for thinking! Up here we only 

 think of our flesh-pits, and whether we 

 have enough for the long dark of the Win- 

 ter. If we have meat enough then there is 

 no need to think. I have meat and to 

 spare !" 



I saw that I had insulted him by credit- 

 ing him with thought. 



On another occasion I asked an unusually 

 intelligent Eskimo, Panigpak, who had 

 taken part in Peary's last north polar ex- 

 pedition : 



"Tell me, what did you suppose was the 

 object of all your exertions? What did 

 you think when you saw the land disap- 

 pear behind you and you found yourself 

 out on the drifting ice-floes?" 



"Think?" said Panigpak, astonished. "I 

 did not need to think. Peary did that!" 



Eating becomes the great thing with the 

 Eskimos. I once excused myself, when 

 paying a visit, with the plea that I had 

 already eaten and had had enough. I was 

 laughed at, and the answer I received was : 



"There thou talkest like a dog! Dogs can 

 be stuffed till they are satisfied and can eat 

 no more ; but people — people can always 

 eat !" 



EVERYTHING for the GARDEN 



is the title of our 1913 catalogue— the most beautiful and complete horticultural publication 

 of the day— really a book of 204 pages. 8 colored plates and over 800 photo engrav- 

 ings, showing actual results without exaggeration. It is a mine of information of everything in 

 Gardening, either for pleasure or profit, and embodies the results of over sixty-six years of 

 practical experience. 



To give this catalogue the largest possible distribution we make the following liberal offer: 



Every Empty Envelope 

 Counts as Cash 



To every one who will state where this advertisement was seen and who encloses Ten 

 Cents we will mail the catalogue and also send Free of Charge 



Our Famous 50 Cent "HENDERSON" COLLECTION OF SEEDS 



containing one packet each of Ponderosa Tomato, Big Boston Lettuce, Scarlet Globe Radish, 

 Henderson's Invincible Asters, Mammoth Butterfly Pansies and Giant Spencer Sweet Peas, 

 in a coupon envelope, which when emptied and returned will be accepted as a 25 cent cash 

 payment on any order amounting to $1.00 and upward. 



In addition, all ordering from this advertisement will receive a copy of our new Garden 

 Guide and Record. This is a handbook of general garden information, planting tables, cook 

 ing recipes, cultural directions etc., and in all is one of the most necessary and valuable 

 of our many publications. 



PETER HENDERSON &C0 



35&37 

 CortlandtSt. 

 '.new York City 



A BOOK FOR FRUIT GROWERS 



Beautiful trees and perfect fruit are a source of satisfaction and profit to the 

 owner, and whether you have a few trees, or several hundred, they should receive 

 intelligent attention. 



"The WHY and HOW of ORCHARD SUCCESS" 



is a beautiful new book full of valuable information. It will be of great help to 

 you. Send for it today. Only 50 cents postpaid. 



Our big Catalogue of Spraying Machinery is FREE upon request. 



FIELD FORCE PUMP COMPANY 103 Grand Avenue, Elmira, N. Y. 



Two Magnificent Books on Home Building 



Modern Dwellings-9xl2 in. 200 IIIus. "1 BOTH 



($3,500 to $50,000) with Plans . $1.50 I BOOKS 



American Homes— 150 Illustrations ( <tO f\(\ 



($2,500 to $10,000) with Plans . $1.00 ) V«' uu 

 These books contain a profusion of the latest ideas in 



Georgian, Colonial, English, Bungalow, &c. 



For those who are Planning to Build 

 GEO. F. BARBER & CO., Architects, Knoxville, Tenn. 



If you would 



Build 

 Beautifully 



Get 



These Books First 



One good new idea, 



while you are planning 



your home, is worth the 



price of many books. 



Circular FREE 



Plant for Immediate Effect 



Not for Future Generations 



Start with the largest stock that can be secured ! It takes many years to 



grow such Trees and Shrubs as we offer. 

 We do the long waiting — thus enabling you to secure Trees and Shrubs that 



give an immediate effect. Price List gives complete information. 



ANDORRA NURSERIES 



WM. WARNER HARPER, Proprietor 



Box 



N 



CHESTNUT HILL 

 PHILADELPHIA, PA. 



This is the secret of the complete success of that sash 

 everywhere for hot-beds and cold-frames. 



Above the glass winter weather — zero, perhaps — 

 Below the glass a little spot of summer. 



With warm earth and plants growing as though it 

 were May ; violets to pluck throughout the Winter ; 

 panzies in bloom by late February; radishes and 

 lettuce in constant supply for the table; cabbage, 

 beet, totnato, pepper, melon and other plants, 

 properly timed, ready in the Spring to go out of 

 doors and make early crops. 



You can have a bed like this at little cost, for the 



Not an inch from zero 

 but growing finely 



Between the two layers of glass in 



the Sunlight Double Glass Sash is an air 



space of ys of an inch in thickness 



Sunlight Sash is complete in itself. It needs no 



mats or boards. The only cover is the air sealed 

 between the layers of glass and this does not have 

 to be bought, or to be lifted on or off'. It weighs 

 nothing and cannot even be seen ; but a raging 

 blizzard cannot penetrate it. 

 Let us tell you all about the 

 Sunlight Sash — how you can ^^br*^^]? J '.*£!? 

 make Winter gardening a 

 source of healthful, profit- 

 able pleasure to you. 



Write at once for our catalog. It is 

 free. Enclose 4c. if you want Prof. Mas- 

 sey's booklet on bot-beds and cold-frames. 



Sunlight Double GlaSS Sash Co., 943 E. Broadway, Louisville, Ky. 



