HOUSE AND GARDEN 
215 
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v ;. 
The risk of fire that makes the home of inflammable con¬ 
struction a constant menace to the lives of the family, is an 
important reason why you should specify foryour new home 
NATCO • HOLLOW-TILE 
The home built of Natco throughout -walls, partitions, floors and roof— 
represents the best in modern residence construction. Architects build 
this kind of home for themselves. 'T he increase in cost over perishable 
types is a mere detail when balanced against the advantages gained— 
low upkeep cost, fire safety, permanence and superior investment value. 
To build your outer walls alone of Natco Hollow Tile gives you a house far more “liveable" 
than if constructed on any of the older lines. The blankets of dead air formed bv the 
hollows in the blocks insulate the interior against sudden and extreme weather changes. 
Natco Hollow Tile is precisely the same material—the same company’s product—which has 
made fireproof the greatest business and public structures in the world. For over twenty- 
years this company has inspired and developed Fireproof Construction. 1 he standards it 
has created set the seal of superiority upon its product. The word “Natco” stamped on 
every block is our guarantee for your protection. 
Read up this form of construction before you go ahead with your buildinp, specifications. Drc p a lire (or 
our 64-page handbook, "Fireproof houses. ’ ’ Contains 80 photographs of residences and oih. r 
moderaie-sized buildings where Natco has been used lor exterior wall consiruciion ai cosis between 
54,000 and 8100.000. also a few complete drawings and floor plans. An invaluable guide io 
the prospeclive builder. Mailed anywhere tor kO cents in postage. Vvrite for it today. 
NATIONAL- FIRE • PROOFING • COMPANY 
■H 
Organized 1889 Dept. Y PITTSBURGH, PA. Offices in All Principal Cities 
r? v 
m-SSfraalL ■ .OF -i I*/ 
March, 1913 
chine, for the former have thicker shells 
than the latter. Eggs which have chalky 
shells must be discarded for best results, 
and dirty eggs are best thrown out, al¬ 
though they may be washed, if of consider- 
erable value. 
Two weeks is as long as eggs should be 
kept before they are placed in a machine 
or under a hen, and during this time they 
ought not to be kept in the light or in a 
very dry place, and the temperature should 
not go below forty or above sixty-five de¬ 
grees. Evaporation is prevented to a 
targe extent by putting the eggs into a 
metal bread box with a tight-fitting cover. 
Another plan is to wrap them in flannel 
or to stand them in a box of bran or oats, 
with a woolen cloth over them. 
Much depends upon the hens which lay 
the eggs. It is poor policy to set eggs laid 
by hens which have been forced hard all 
the season. Such eggs are not likely to 
be fertile, or if they are fertile, to hatch 
robust chicks. A better plan is to make 
up a small breeding pen in the fall, and 
not force the hens for eggs. 
Eggs laid by deformed hens or those 
lacking in physical vigor or the charac¬ 
teristics of the breed they represent should 
not be set. Like begets like, and it is an 
easy matter to allow the flock to become 
decadent by neglecting such matters. 
A general rule is to breed from two- 
year-old liens and cockerels, or from ma¬ 
ture males mated with pullets. In actual 
practice, the first plan seems to give more 
satisfactory results than the other, al¬ 
though theorists fail to understand why. 
Some breeders believe that an excess of 
pullets is hatched when this practice is fol¬ 
lowed. while more cockerels are hatched 
when a well-matured male bird is used 
with pullets. The logical conclusion is 
that when the birds of both sexes are the 
same age an equal proportion of pullets 
and cockerels result from the mating. This 
matter makes an interesting study. 
In order to make sure of fertile eggs, 
none should be saved until three days 
after the breeding pen has been made up. 
Eggs laid up to the tenth day after the 
male has been removed will be fertile. It 
is an excellent plan to allow two males to 
each breeding pen, alternating them week¬ 
ly. Two cocks ought not to be allowed to 
run with the hens at the same time. All 
the birds should be allowed free access to 
a hopper of beef scraps and green rations 
of some kind, as well as an abundant sup¬ 
ply of wheat and cracked corn, thrown into 
the litter, so that they will be obliged to 
exercise in order to get it. 
By following these few simple rules 
and by giving care to the selection of fer¬ 
tile eggs — which is a matter of far more 
importance than many owners of hens 
realize — there will probably be little cause 
for complaint about difficulties in hatch¬ 
ing. The successful chicken-raiser bears 
them in mind, and the beginner who fol¬ 
lows his example will find the results most 
gratifying. E. I. Farrington 
R A X S KILLED BY 
By the wonderful bacteriological preparation, discovered and prepared by 
Dr. Danysz, of Pasteur Institute, Paris. Used with striking success for 
year* in the United States, England, France and Russia. 
DANYSZ VIRUS 
contains the germs of a disease peculiar to rats and mice only and is 
absolutely harmless to birds, human beings and other an¬ 
imals. The rodents always die in the open, because of feverish condition. 
The disease is also contagious to them. Easily prepared and applied. 
How much to use.—A small house, one tube. Ordinary dwelling, 
three tubes (if rats are numerous, not less thanbtubes) Oneortwodozen 
for large stable with hay loft and yard or 3000 sq. ft. floor space in build- 
ngs Price: One tube, 75c; 3 tubes, $1.75; 6 tubes, $3.25; one doz, $6. 
INDEPENDENT CHEMICAL CO, 72 Front St., New York 
Landscape Gardening 
A course for Homemakers and Gar¬ 
deners taught by Prof. Craig and Prof. 
Beal of Cornell University. 
Gardeners who understand up-to-date 
methods and practice are in demand for 
the best positions. 
A knowledge of Landscape Gardening 
is indispensable to those who would have 
the pleasantest homes. 
250 page Catalog free. Write to-day. 
THE HOME CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOL 
Dept. 2?6, Springfield, Mass. 
SCIENCE 
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