House and Garden 
Free Advice on Decoration 
T he unprecedented growth of the Correspondence Depart¬ 
ment of “ House and Garden ” has necessitated the opening 
of a new Department which will be devoted to the interest 
of those who are building, decorating or furnishing their homes. 
Beginning with the new year “ House and Garden” offers its 
readers a House Finishing, Decorating, Furnishing and Purchas¬ 
ing Service which is complete in detail and thoroughly practical. 
Full color suggestions for the exterior of the house will be supplied 
with recommendations of proper materials to obtain the results. 
For the interior, the treatment of standing woodwork and floors, 
the selection of tiles, hardware and fixtures will be considered and 
specifically recommended, with the addresses of firms from whom 
these goods may be obtained. Samples of wall coverings and 
drapery materials will be sent and selections of rugs and furniture 
made. When desired, the goods will be purchased and shipped 
to the inquirer; the lowest retail prices are quoted on all materials. 
This Department of Decoration is under the direction of 
MARGARET GREENLEAF, whose successful work as an inte¬ 
rior Designer and Decorator is well known. 
I 
SOME USEFUL BOOKS FOR YOU 
KITCHEN GARDENING. By Thomas Bridgman. This work comprises 152 pages, liberally 
illustrated. 12mo. Cloth - - - - - - - - - 5()c. 
FRUIT GARDENING. By Thomas Bridgman. Liberally illustrated. 12mo. Cloth, 50c. 
FLOWER GARDENING. The work comprises 106 pages, libcrallv illustrated. 12mo. 
Cloth - 50c. 
MY TEN ROD FARM, OR HOW I BECAME A FLORIST. Bv Charles Barnard. ]2mo. 
(doth - - - - - - - - - - . . 40c. 
THE STRAWBERRY GARDEN: HOW IT WAS PLANTED. WHAT IT COST. By 
(diaries Barnard. 12 mo. (doth - -- -- -- - 40c. 
FARMING BY INCHES; OR, WITH BRAINS, SIR. By Charles Barnard. ]2mo. Cd., 40c. 
THE JOHN C. WINSTON COMPANY, Publishers, Philadelphia. 
ANY OF THESE VOLUMES MAILED ON RECEIPT OF PRICE. 
fact that the modern tightly built barn 
denies it friendly shelter, and it finds no 
substitute places in which to nest. The 
cliff swallow, whose curious pouch¬ 
shaped mud nest used to be a common 
sight under the eaves of barns and out¬ 
buildings throughout the Northern 
States, has now been entirely banished 
from many localities under the mistaken 
impression that they are undesirable 
neighbors because of certain parasites 
which infest their nests. These have 
been supposed to be bedbugs, and hence 
the nests have been destroyed and the 
birds driven away. This is an error, for 
although related to the above objectiona¬ 
ble insect, these parasites are peculiar 
to birds and are not to be feared by 
man. Of all the swallows the martin is 
considered the most important to farmers, 
and suggestions are given for increasing 
its numbers by the erection of additional 
boxes and of increasing its range by the 
transportation to new localities of boxes 
containing old birds and half-grown 
young, in the belief that the old birds will 
be induced by the presence of their 
young to remain and feed them. If 
they do not, the only alternative is bring¬ 
ing the young up by hand, which has 
been successfully done by feeding them 
meal worms, grasshoppers, and the like. 
Migratory birds—and most American 
birds are migratory—are the property of 
the Nation rather than of individual 
States, and co-operation between the 
several States for the preservation and 
increase of insectivorous birds is a prin¬ 
ciple worthy of universal adoption. 
Circulars of the Survey treating of this 
subject (No. 56, “Value of Swallows 
as Insect Destroyers,” and No. 57, 
“Birds Useful in the War Against the 
Cotton Boll Weevil”) will be furnished 
free upon application to the United 
States Department of Agriculture. 
LUTHER BURBANK 
^ I ^HIS is the man who has done more 
to propagate new and valuable 
fruits and beautiful flowers than any 
other man in America. He originated 
the great Burbank potato, and during the 
past few years has astonished the world 
with the results of his plant breeding. 
Andrew Carnegie has provided a fund 
for Mr. Burbank’s support in order that 
he may continue his work without being 
harassed by the difficulties of making a 
living . — Home and Farm. 
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