March, 1 9 13 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



IX 



of oak of marvelous toughness and beauti- 

 ful grain. A rich brown stain of one of 

 the brands advertised in any of the maga- 

 zines devoted to decoration and furnishing 

 brought out the full beauty of the wood, 

 and the chair in its present form is one of 

 the chief ornaments of my little sanctum. 



Painting old furniture is but rarely to be 

 advised. It is true, of course, that in Co- 

 lonial days, and later, plain wooden furni- 

 ture was not only painted in solid colors 

 but was also adorned with such painted 

 decorations as "nosegays," festoons and 

 baskets of flowers and the effect was beauti- 

 ful to behold. A recent issue of American 

 Homes axd Gardens contains an article 

 upon the subject of painted furniture and 

 shows pictures of several pieces of fur- 

 niture so adorned. This treatment, how- 

 ever, should be undertaken only by a 

 competent and clever workman, for nothing 

 is more amateurish or home-made than the 

 appearance of such finish by one not wel' 

 schooled and trained in the art. 



The collector must not be discouraged at 

 the_ shabby condition of a piece of furniture 

 which trained taste and careful judgment 

 find to be otherwise well worth while. Some 

 of the most beautiful pieces of old mahog- 

 any in a famous Xew York collection are 

 those which have been collected from differ- 

 ent parts of the east and south, and many 

 were discovered in a condition so poor as 

 to daunt any but an experienced collector 

 There are "few defects which cannot be 

 remedied by skillful treatment, but one of 

 them is a case where ink or grease in a 

 liquid form has been spilled upon wood and 

 aljowed to soak into its pores. No amount 

 of scraping with glass can remove the stain 

 and the only possible solution is the very 

 simple expedient of copying the part 

 affected in new wood, stained and finished 

 to match the old. 



Another defect which cannot be wholly 

 remedied by even the cleverest workman 

 is a deep scar or scratch in the wood. In 

 such a case nothing can be done but to 

 insert a "patch." or piece of new wood. 

 carefully selected to match the old material 

 in which it has been placed. 



PAPER POTS AND DIRT BANDS 



PAPER pots are very useful when plants 

 are to be started in the house in hot 

 ids and cold frames. Seeds may be sown 

 directly in them or seedlings transplanted 

 to them from flats or boxes. Their use 

 makes the young plants much easier to 

 handle, for they can be moved about at 

 will. A good plan is to set them closely in 

 a flat or box with low sides. When plant- 

 ing out time comes, the pots are set into 

 the ground without removing the plants, so 

 that the roots are not disturbed in the least. 

 The bottom of the pot may be torn away 

 and the sides will gradually decay and dis- 

 appear, but not until they have done ex- 

 cellent service in protecting the plants from 

 the ravages of cut worms. 



These paper pots cost but little when 

 purchased at the seed stores, but may be 

 made at home if deemed desirable, using 

 stout wrapping paper cut into pieces and 

 wrapped around a form in the shape of a 

 block of wood. A modification of the 

 paper pot is the dirt band, which is cheaper 

 and even more convenient. These bands 

 are practically paper pots without bot- 

 toms. A number of them are set in a box, 

 filled with earth and used for seeds or 

 seedlings. By the time the plants need to 

 be moved, the roots will hold the little ball 

 of earth fast. These bands provide a very 

 simple method of starting plants in a sunny 

 window in the house. The bands are set 

 into the open ground with the plants. 



Let a 



BWEY 



EXPERT 



Examine 



Tfourtrees 



NOW 



TREE EXPERTS 



JHENATIONSTRJEES 





This Tree 

 split apart 

 because it had 

 a weak crotch. Suchj 

 a disaster COULD 

 HAVE BEEN pre- 

 vented by a DAVE Y 

 TREE EXPERT. 



More than two-thirds of the trees in America 

 liable to be split apart by the first high wind. 



JOHN DAVEY 



|Father of Tree S^g er/I. 



■■KHznmzna 



DAVEY TREE EX^ 



PERTS are employed 



Dy the United States 



Government, by many 



of the states, by a large 



number of cities, and by 



the Canadian 



Government. 



have weak crotches, and are 

 Such trees are structurally 

 weak — They are bound to split apart sooner or later. It may be five or ten 

 years, or it might be only five or ten days. A weak crotch can seldom be 

 detected by the untrained eye. The danger signals are always there. DAVEY 

 EXPERTS are trained to detect them and prevent disastrous splitting. We will 

 gladly have one of our experts examine your trees without charge, and report 

 on their exact condition. It costs ten times as much to save a tree after split- 

 ting apart as it would to have secured that tree against splitting. Splitting 

 branches are a source of danger to other trees as well as to buildings. You 

 may think that your trees are sound — Maybe they are, but guesswork is un- 

 necessary. Learn the truth through a DAVEY EXPERT without cost or 

 obligation. There is a DAVEY EXPERT in your vicinity. Splitting crotches 

 are but one of the ailments of trees. Dead limbs are unsanitary, unsightly and 

 unsafe, and a constant menace to life. Cavities, if not properly treated, con- 

 tinue to decay and destroy the tree. Some trees require more nourishment — 

 Some require water — Some must be sprayed to destroy insects, or treated for 

 diseases— Some few/equire no attention at all. If your trees need no treat- 

 ment, you want to know it; if they do need treatment, you ought to know it. 



Write for booklet "A" 



The Davey Tree Expert Company, Kent, 0. 



Branch Offices: 225 Fifth Avenue, New York, N. Y. Harvester Bldg. Chicago, 111. 

 New Birks Bldg. Montreal, Canada. P. O. Box 602 San Francisco, Cal. 



REPRESENTATIVES AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE 



The Scientific American Boy 



By A. RUSSELL BOND 



12mo. :: Three Hundred and Twenty Pages :: Three Hundred and Forty Illustrations :: Price, $2.00, Postpaid 



A STORY OF OUTDOOR BOY LIFE, suggesting a large number of 

 diversions which, aside from affording entertainment, will stimulate in 

 boys the creative spirit. <J Complete practical instructions are given 

 for building the various articles. The book contains a large number of mis- 

 cellaneous devices, such as Scows, Canoes, Windmills, Water Wheels, Etc. 



MUNN & CO., Inc., 



Publishers of 

 "SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN" 



361 Broadway, New York 





ONARM 



The Best Roses 



WRITE FOR NEW ROSE CATALOG 



Here is undisputed rose authority. Lists 

 and describes the 360 Best Roses for America; 

 shows 11 in natural colors; 85 photographed. 

 All own-root bushes, extra large and vigorous. 

 Also contains full data on selecting, plant- 

 ing', pruning and cultivating, a complete 

 Rose Lover's Calendar, and 

 FREE DELIVERY OFFER on , 

 orders of $5.00 and over. 

 Write for your free copy 

 TO-DAY. 



ONES 



\forAmerica 



SPECIAL OFFER 



Our BEST DOZEN roses: no 

 two alike; all colors; strong' 

 healthy bushes — all 12 in 

 2-yearsize, $3; or express pre- 

 paid, for $3.25. Guaranteed 

 to bloom this season. 



THE C0NARD & JONES CO. 



Box 5 I , West Grove, Pa. 



Rose Specialists — 



50 years' experience 



