HOUSE AND GARDEN 
March, 1912 
seasons’ practice added to their general 
knowledge of gardening. Why had none 
of them attempted it? Possibly because 
the most energetic portion of the popula¬ 
tion of that locality — as indeed of most 
sections of New England — had followed 
the tides that set toward the cities, or 
swept westward to new lands and greater 
opportunities. But now the ebb tide was 
bringing back to these same sections many 
a Mantell, and carrying with it new ideas 
and new ambitions to many a native's son 
who saw good opportunities and a hap¬ 
pier, healthier life among the erstwhile 
abandoned farms than he could see in the 
overcrowded centers of population. 
In making his mental notes for another 
year, Mantell also took cognizance of the 
fact that it would pay to get everything 
done ahead during the early spring months 
that could possibly be done then. For in¬ 
stance, in the midst of their busiest season 
outdoors, and when they had several 
thousand small tomato plants once trans¬ 
planted indoors, they had to spend hours 
making small boxes that would hold one 
or two dozen, for the stores to handle. 
With the fertilizer, too, several half 
days’ work were broken into. Much to 
the excitement of the native tillers of the 
soil, Mantell, upon Raffles’ emphatic ad¬ 
vice and explanations, had decicled to mix 
his own, instead of buying a ready mixed 
brand. In order to do so he had had to 
buy his chemicals by mail from a firm in 
New York, and pay not only freight on 
the shipment, but cash for the stuff as 
well; whereas any one of the several 
smooth-talking agents would have been 
glad to take his order for mixed goods, 
delivered “freight allowed,’’ and to be paid 
for in the fall, after the crops were har¬ 
vested. Figures showed, however, that 
by mixing his own he could save over 
eleven dollars a ton on the high-priced 
brand which the Squire had found to give 
best results on their soil; and a telephone 
conversation with the State Experiment 
Station (costing a quarter, which not one 
of the thrifty natives would have dreamed 
of wasting in that way) convinced him 
that he could get exactly as good results 
from his home mixed product. The treas¬ 
ury was so low that he accepted the 
Squire’s offer of seventy-five dollars at 
six per cent., for which he gave his note. 
For the same amount of actual plant food 
—nitrogen, available phosphoric acid and 
potash — that he got in his nitrate of soda, 
tankage, acid phosphate and muriate of 
potash for seventy-five dollars, including 
the freight, he would have paid one hun¬ 
dred dollars in high grade mixed fertiliz¬ 
ers at forty dollars a ton. 
The Squire had ordered his fertilizer 
the previous fall, but tried half a ton of 
the “new-fangled business — just to see 
what it would do.’’ But he didn’t have 
much faith in it, and the other neighbors 
had none at all. Said one, “I don’t know 
about the other things, but this here 
nitrate of sodee, I know that’ll make your 
ground poor in no time. Jim Growls, he 
used it on his meaders two years runnin’ 
When It’s a Case of Keeping 
the Food Right 
then you must have a McCray. 
Built to give active cold air circulation 
inside, acting on Nature’s rule that heat 
ascends and cold descends. This with the 
heat excluding construction of the McCray walls, gives 
a low temperature and a dry, cold circulating atmosphere 
that keeps foods at their best. 
McCray Refrigerators 
are made in all stock sizes to serve the needs of the smallest or the largest family. No refrigerator in 
the world is made more carefully or closer to the ideal of perfect ventilation and refrigeration by circula¬ 
tion of cold, dry air. Most sanitary, easiest cleaned linings, opal glass, enamel, porcelain, or odorless white 
wood— no zinc—generous capacity—thorough workmanship. 
The McCray Refrigerator will protect the family’s health and 
give unequaled service. 
Any of the stock sizes can be arranged to be iced from the outside, 
thus avoiding the inconvenience and muss of the ice man. You get 
every special feature in a McCray stock size. 
Write ^ Free Book ‘ any of the following catalogs; 
No. 88 — Regular sizes for Residences No. A.H. Built-to-order for Residences 
No. ^8 —For Groceries No. 59 —For Meat Markets 
No. id—For Hotels, Clubs, Institutions No. 72 —For Flower Shops 
McCray Refrigerator Co., 
Fake Street, 
fCendallville, Ind. 
i 
StaH a Fernery 
Brighten up the deep, shady nooks on your lawn, or that dark 
porch corner—just the places for our hardy wild ferns and wild flower 
collections. We have been growing them for 25 years and know 
what varieties are suited to your conditions. Tell us the kind 
of soil you have — light, sandy, clay—and we will advise you. 
Gillett’s Ferns and Flowers 
will give the charm of nature to your yard. These include not only hardy wild 
ferns, but native orchids, and flowers for wet and swampy spots, rocky hillsides 
and dry woods. We also grow such hardy flowers as primroses, campanulas, 
digitalis, violets, hepaticas, trilliums, and wild flowers which require open sunlight 
well as shade. If you want a bit of an old-time wildwood garden, with flowers 
it as Nature grows them—send for our new catalogue and let us advise you 
lat to select and how to succeed with them. 
EDWARD GILLETT, Box F, Sontliwlck, Mass. 
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