164 
HOUSE AND GARDEN 
March, 1915 
At the south of the entrance to the front yard a double-flower¬ 
ing plum flourished and looked like a great pink popcorn ball in 
season. Across the front of the yard to the south was a pretty 
row of Japanese barberries that met a glorious hedge forming the 
south boundary of the place. This hedge had been worked out 
with thought and care. Most of the things in it were native 
shrubs and trees brought from the woods and lanes near by. 
How they did grow, and how graceful and artistic the whole 
arrangement was in contour, color and grouping! There were 
bushes of wahoo, snowberry, dogwood, high-bush cranberry, 
golden elder, the lovely purple barberry, golden syringa, sumac 
(the cut-leaf), Tartarian honeysuckles (in white and pink), and 
lilacs of different colors. It was always showing blossoms or 
partly hidden by overhanging branches of cranberry and dogwood, 
was a great trunk of an oak tree, over which ran blossoming nas¬ 
turtium vines. On this stump was the basin for the birds’ bath, 
and all through the summer the birds came in numbers to drink 
and bathe, and no spot in the yard was more attractive. 
I remember many delightful afternoons spent in this garden, 
yet one stands out in my memory more distinctly than any other, 
and it is because of the joy I had that day in watching the birds 
come to this bath. When I tell you of it, please remember how 
many people are saying things like this nowadays—“No wonder 
we never see birds now as we did long ago. They used to come 
to our yards, but they do not like the city.’’ Then, too, please 
remember that this yard is less than a block from one of the 
The wide beds in front of the hedges are a mass of color all through the season. First came the Oriental poppies, then the iris and peonies; later, the crowning beauty of 
the year — the Canterbury bells and the foxgloves. When these had gone, hollyhocks and snapdragons and gladioli showed their colors 
fruit of some kind, and in the fall was especially attractive to the 
birds, as well as to the people. The cedar waxings would come 
in dozens and settle down on the Tartarian honeysuckles, and 
when they took their flight not a red berry would be left to 
delight our eyes. The catbird, cuckoos and brown thrasher would 
come creeping in and out, feasting on the berries of the elder, 
and seldom did they leave without calling back a little “thank 
you” song. This hedge formed a graceful, irregular line along 
the lawn. Around one of its curves was a border of sedum — and, 
by the way, nothing can be prettier in such a place than this plant 
with its trim, stiff branches, its soft, green color and its especially 
attractive pink flowers in the fall. Behind this sedum grew 
quantities of the white snakeroot that had been brought from the 
woods near the river. This filled in the space completely between 
the sedum and the higher shrubs back of it, and its white flowers 
harmonized with whatever blossomed near. Close to the hedge, 
noisiest shops ever created by man—a boiler shop with up-to-date- 
air hammers and compression drills. I sat alone with my book 
one May day, not more than fifteen feet away from this bird 1 
basin, when I saw a flash of wonderful orange, and the Baltimore 
oriole was taking a bath ! 1 watched him quietly as he dipped and' 
spattered and dipped again and again. Up he flew to the nearest 
tree to complete his toilet, and before I had looked back to my 
book the blue bird came, with his beautiful blue dress. He- 
wanted to get into the water, but was not exactly sure of my 
friendship, and contented himself with a drink. Then off he flew,, 
just in time to give place to three scarlet tanagers that settled 
themselves not only for a drink, but for baths as well. Think of 
this, and make your yards attractive for birds, whether you live in* 
a noisy city or quiet town. Birds will come if you invite them.' 
and protect them. There is one objection to having a birds’ bath 
(Continued on page 192) 
