200 
THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 
April, 1917 
Roses 
Out-of-the- 
Ordinary 
W ITH the sturdy Ameri- 
can grown roses that I 
am offering this year, you can 
makeyourrosegarden aconstant 
source of joy all summer long. 
Every plant throws out good, 
vigorous roots that insure its 
hardiness. Every plant is grown 
slowly under natural conditions 
afid thoroughly acclimated to 
snow and frost. All of them are 
free blooming and delightfully fragrant. None of 
them requires any special attention or coddling. 
They are of a quality which I know to be dis- 
tinctly superior to that of roses budded on 
other stock. 
My Rose Catalogue describes all the most 
favored varieties. Send for it. 
Gladioli 
T HE surprising range of the Gladioli's colorings 
and the wondrous markings found in its long 
graceful spikes, have given to the modem ones, a 
high place in the favor of garden lovers. 
Satisfied in garden soiland requiring no nursing they 
will give you a joyous succession of blooms from June 
to frost, if planted at intervals of about two weeks 
My American grown Gladioli bulbs are full sized 
solid fellows, fully developed and healthy, I guarantee 
them to be true to name and sure in bloom promise 
My Rose and Gladioli Catalogue will make it easy 
to make your selections. Send for it. 
To convince you of the surpassing quality of 
my Gladioli bulbs, I will send a box of 25 choice, 
selected bulbs, of fine named varieties, anywhere 
in the United States for $1. 
Tfe/es a*4> lQtc&z 
172 Broadway Paterson, N. J. 
Bird Houses 
that satisfy 
We have made.50 thousand suc- 
cessful bird homes, bird baths 
and feederies. They are not 
patented and we gladly aid con- 
servation of bird life by selling 
them also in KNOCK DOWN 
form at manufacturers’ prices. 
Martin House, 26 room, ready 
built with one coat paint, $5.00 
House No. 32. 
Write for Our Folder 
and Compare Values 
CHICAGO BIRD 
709-11 S. Leavitt SL 
Willowdale Nurseries 
In addition to our regular line of first class 
nursery stock of all kinds we have a select stock 
of big trees running in caliper from 3 inches up to 
6, 8 and in a few cases 10 inches or more. The 
list includes Oriental Plane, American Ash, 
Catalpas, Elms, Maples, Oaks, Lindens, Pop- 
lars, Sweet Gum, Salisburia, and Tulip Trees. 
Catalogue and prices on application. 
THE RAKESTRAW - PYLE COMPANY 
Kennett Square Pennsylvania 
The Apple-Tree’s Visitors 
(A Record taken in Eastern Massachusetts) 
TN ALL my wanderings through woodlands 
in quest of bird friends, I have not found 
more pleasure than in keeping the record of 
bird acquaintances that came within the nar- 
row range of one tree. That tree was near the 
windows of my room, and was the object of my 
morning and evening outlook. I chose it be- 
cause of its nearness, and selected it from a row 
of apple trees, because it had brighter and 
more fragrant blossoms. The apple was a 
Winter Porter of fine flavor and pale gold 
color. The tree was old enough to hide many 
insects in the crevices of its rough bark. A 
few feet from the ground its trunk divided into 
five spreading branches that reached within a 
few yards of the two houses that stood on either 
side. How many birds visited my tree I can- 
not even guess, but the large number I saw, no 
less than the various kinds, greatly surprised 
me, because of the nearness to dwellings and to 
the street. 
I began making my record the latter part of 
April, and the first bird of which I made note 
was the Myrtle Warbler. I had seen him a 
few days before in the horse-chestnut tree at 
the other side of the house, and had thought 
that he would soon fly farther north to build 
his nest, but he came to my tree again in May, 
and much more to my surprise visited it in 
August. I had thought that he was enjoying 
the cool glades of the Maine woods or less 
favorite Canadian haunts, while I was spending 
the hot August days in a Boston suburb. 
On May 7, a Black-billed Cuckoo came to 
my apple tree. I had never seen a Cuckoo 
before. He was not at all disturbed by my 
presence at the window, but searched dili- 
gently for insects, giving me only an occasional 
glance. 
On May 17, a beautiful Scarlet Tanager and 
his olive mate flew through the branches of the 
tree. I had never seen a Tanager in our 
orchard before. Already my tree was becom- 
ing noted, or else a limited range had sharpened 
my powers of observation. 
l iie busy little Black and White Warbler 
crept about the branches of the tree to seek out 
insects. Of course Robins and Sparrows were 
frequent visitors, and especially welcome was 
Robin Redbreast with his morning carol and 
evening twitter. The Orchard Oriole came 
once; and the Baltimore Oriole with his mate 
were occasional visitors. On a rainy day a 
Rusty Blackbird perched on a branch near the 
house. • 
After many rainy days the sky cleared, and 
what was my delight to see my tree full of 
birds! I suspect that it had proved to be a 
sheltered place, between the two houses, from 
the gentle breeze that had risen after the storm. 
I can hardly tell how many or what kinds I 
saw within a few hours, for my scanty knowl- 
edge was taxed by this sudden onrush of bird 
friends. Several birds of a kind I had not seen 
before were perching now here, now there, on 
the limbs of the tree. They were probably 
Flycatchers. A Yellow-breasted Vireo darted 
in and out among the leaves again and again; 
and a strange little bird — at least a stranger to 
our orchard — came near several times, with an 
erect tail and a saucy turn of the head. I sus- 
pected he was Master Wren, a frequenter 
about many houses. The Robins and the 
Sparrows came plentifully, and before long I 
heard a faint “Chink,” and hurried to the 
window to find that my pet “Downy” of the 
orchard had also found my tree a sheltered 
place from the wind. Only a few days before, 
a loud “wick, wick, wick,” from his cousin, the 
Flicker, had called me around the corner of the 
house just as he flew out of the tree. 
Golden Robin and his mate came often in 
the morning. Several Grackles came also; 
some walked about on the lawn, a few perched 
in the tree. One settled himself in a comfort- 
able place, and stayed there for several hours. 
I went close to the window and gave a low 
whistle to call his attention. He appeared 
not to notice my calling, but a Robin perched 
nearby gave strict attention and bent his head 
in a listening attitude. I have often noticed 
that the Robin more than any other bird seems 
cognizant of the human voice. 
Many more birds than I saw must have come 
to my apple-tree, but it seemed strange that 
my favorite, the Goldfinch, should never once 
favor me with his presence there, though he 
would hop about in the top of my birch-tree on 
the other side of the house, and sing sweetly, 
for hours at a time. I suspect that the seeds 
which he found in the garden nearby were 
more attractive to him than the insects of the 
orchard. 
At the end of the summer I felt that my 
observations within the narrow range of one 
tree had given me more enjoyment than 
many wanderings here and there. 
Framingham, Mass. M. M. Higgins. 
Sweet Pea Mixtures in Balanced 
Quantities 
M ANY of the “mixtures” offered bj r seeds- 
men are not prepared with much thought 
as to the balance of colors or pleasing effects. 
If we grow separate colors side by side, we 
generally grow about the same number of feet 
of each color. In this way we have quite a 
large assortment of the most popular colors for 
an attractive display. But when we start 
cutting the flowers for mixed bouquets we see 
how unbalanced our colors really are because 
some overwhelm the others. 
White is the foremost color in every good 
complete mixture and constitutes the basis. 
Colors like cream, light amber, slightly 
tinted, and white delicately edged varieties, 
while very similar in general effect cannot take 
the place of white. 
The next in importance are those of slightly 
deeper color, but of practically the same in- 
tensity. These comprise light pink, blush 
pink and cream pink, also light blue, light 
lavender, soft lilac and soft mauve. Still an- 
other color group is made up of colors which 
are more striking, as they are more intensive. 
Naturally, we need less of each of these to give 
the mixture the proper appearance. Pink 
(including lavender pink and salmon pink), 
rose (including rose-carmine and deep rose 
pink), and medium blue (including lavender 
and azure blue) belong to this class and should 
be represented in equal volume. 
There is still another group, the colors of 
which are deeper than any considered hereto- 
fore, but of vVhich the same quantity of seeds 
should be added. These are scarlet, orange 
and deep cherry — the very colors that lend life 
and brilliancy to every bouquet. 
In addition there are four classes of dark 
shades of lesser importance which give the 
mixture a greater variety but should be used 
sparingly because of the overwhelming color 
contrasts which they create. 
Dark flowers in a bouquet of lighter shades 
are decidedly more conspicuous and it is logi- 
cal therefore to use less of them. 
(1 Continued on page 202) 
The Readers’ Service will give you suggestions /or planting 
