XIV 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS December, 1907 



Write 



It's 



,0 



For This Catalog 



If Interested 

 In Hardwood Flooring 



We hav3 just published our new illus- 

 trated Catalog of Ornamental and 

 \ Plain Hardwood Floors. It is the 

 most elaborate and complete cata- 

 log of its kind ever issued and 

 should be in the hands of every 

 ' Carpenter and Builder. We will 



0%^*^ gladly send it FREE to any in- 



terested person who will write 

 for it — (see coupon below). 



This catalog contains inter- 

 esting information about the 

 different kinds of floors — 

 Ornamental, Plain and 

 Parquetry and about the 

 various kinds of woods. 

 We have been making fine 

 hardwood floors for over twenty 

 ^^^-^ years and are in position to give you the 

 i : ' ' best value, and prompt service for your money. 

 We are located where we can obtain all the different 

 hard woods to good advantages. We employ skilled workmen 

 -nearly all our men have been with us for years. 



We ship our floors anywhere. Any good carpenter can easily lay our floors over 

 old floors. When you want good hardwood floors get 



Johnson's Ornamental Hardwood Floors 



"The World's Slandord of Excellence" 



With prices. We have hundreds of others. 



FREE 



See Coupon 

 Below 



: V ■ 



only 



(' lierry 

 Corners 



[iorder No. 8,^6— in inch. Oak and 1 lark Oak. 

 4UC. linear foot. Corners t)Ui--. eaeli. 



competition quality is often sacrificed for price. This is 

 -lusin our line, for if a floor is not made of wood carefully 

 and extreme caution used in every detail of manufacture, 

 of being- one of the most Deautiful and satisfactory feat- 

 le, will be a source of constant care, annoyanceand expense, 

 .t we have been in business for so long, and have built 

 our trade extends all over the world, is evidence that 

 1 are satisfactory and our methods right, 

 forget — send coupon to-day for this catalog. It will interest 

 and it's absolutely FREE. 



S. C. JOHNSON & SON, Racine,Wis. 



"The Wood-Finishing Authorities" 



ANITA 



TH E WASHABLE V^ALL CQVERI NG 



Weigh wall paper in your judg- 

 ment against a washable wall covering — 

 ainst a wall covering as beautiful as the finest 

 wall-paper, but which cannot fade. 



You can wipe all dust and dirt from SANITAS 'ith a 

 damp cloth, and it leaves no mark. 



You can let the strongest light pour directly upon it, 

 and it keeps its color. 



SANITAS is printed in oil colors on a strong muslin 

 foundation. Dull or glazed surface. 



In liie recent prize contest for pictures of the most artistic interiors 

 wliere ^'.4^*ITA.S is used, tlie following were tlie winners; 



1st prize: Airs. W. N. Blaney, 1701 Sherman Ave., Denver, 

 Colo. 2nd prize : Mrs. I*. G. Hansen, Kdgerton, Wis. 3rd 

 prize: Miss Marion Swan, 154 Passaic Ave., Passaic, N. J. 

 4th prize: Mrs. E. A. Corwin, IJox 35, Haywards, Cal. 

 Ask your dealer to show you tlie largre SANITAS sample book 

 showing many patterns suitable for every room in the house, or write 

 directly to our Department of Home Decoration, describing yourroom 

 fully, and recei\'e. free, suggestive pencil sketches, with samples slrow- 

 ing •'Uilable patterns. 



STANDARD OIL CLOTH CO., Dept. 11 . 320 Broadway, New York 



is likely to result in the prevention of con- 

 siderable loss by and by. It pays to give it, 

 in more ways than one. 



The window-garden is seldom very gay 

 with flowers at this season. Many of the 

 plants in it have not fully recovered from the 

 effect of repotting and removal to the house, 

 and others have not reached the flowering 

 stage. Most, however, if they have been 

 given proper care, will be growing well, and 

 giving good promise of bloom a little later on. 

 Those in active growth should be fed liber- 

 ally to encourage vigorous development and 

 to enable the piant to store up strength foi 

 the work before it. But keep on the safe 

 side and don't fertilize too much. It is easy 

 to overdo this matter. We are often led to do 

 it by our desire to push our plants ahead, and 

 our impatience of results leads to a rapid 

 growth, from which there is likely to be a 

 reaction later in the season, often a very dis- 

 astrous one. When the owner of a window- 

 garden learns to be satisfied with a healthy 

 growth he is on the high road to success. 



Be on the lookout for insects. Here is 

 where the old saying, that "an ounce of pre- 

 vention Is worth a pound of cure," comes in 

 pertinently. It is much easier to keep insects 

 away than it is to get rid of them. I would ad- 

 vise every amateur flower grower to act on 

 the offensive. Don't wait for the insects to 

 put in appearance. They will be sure to come 

 if you do nothing to head them off. Provide 

 yourself with the means of exterminating 

 them, and use it precisely as if they were really 

 there. Use it once a week. If this is done 

 you can prevent their taking possession of 

 your plants. It may seem unnecessary to take 

 precautions of this kind when the enemy js 

 not in sight, but it is the easiest and the sur- 

 est method of keeping your plants free from 

 insects. Why not work a little every week 

 to keep them away rather than be obliged to 

 spend hours every other day in an effort to 

 get rid of them ? 



Roses will suffer from aphis and red spider 

 if not carefully attended to. Fight both these 

 pests with the same weapons. Take a tub of 

 water and put into it some of the Nikoteen 

 extract of which mention has frequently been 

 made. Dip the plants into this, as dipping is 

 more effective in its operation than spraying, 

 for the water gets to every portion of the 

 plant. The tobacco extract kills the aphis ; 

 the water routs the spider. 



Look to the potted bulbs at least once a 

 week. If any seem to be getting rather dry, 

 water moderately. Don't bring any to the 

 window until they show signs of top growth. 



Examine such plants as the Boston and 

 Pierson fern frequently, if you have any rea- 

 son to suspect the presence of the mealy-bug. 

 You will generally find it down about the 

 base of the fronds, where there is a dense 

 growth. Remove all that you possibly can 

 by making use of a sharp pointed stick. Then 

 apply the emulsion made of soap and kero- 

 sene which I have frequently spoken of in this 

 department. Do not saturate the crown of 

 the plants with it, but put it where it will 

 do the most good with a soft brush. By part- 

 ing the stalks and the new fronds carefully, 

 you will quite likely be able to discover the 

 breeding-places of this pest. 



Prune your plants as they develop. Never 

 allow a branch to develop unless there is 

 need of it. In pruning plants into symmetri- 

 cal shape, save the clippings. Make cuttings 

 of them from which to grow plants for your 

 own use next season or to give away to other 

 flower lovers who may not happen to have 

 the varieties you grow. 



Watch the amaryllises. If new leaves 

 start, increase the water supply, and begin to 

 apply fertilizers. Buds will gerierally appear 

 about as soon as new leaves if the plants 

 intend to flower. 



