The blue jays had eyed the feeding- 
shelf from afar with suspicion, but early 
one morning in the spring of 1913 a jay 
dropped on the shelf with a wild shriek, 
and seizing a sunflower seed, retired to 
the tin gutter of the porch roof and broke 
it open with blows that sounded like a 
blacksmith’s hammer on the anvil or the 
activities of a boiler works. Thereafter 
several blue jays fed pretty regularly on 
the shelf, but nearly always in the early 
morning, usually commencing by five 
o’clock or before. Not more than one jay 
could feed at a time on the shelf; the 
attempt of a second to alight there was 
followed by one or the other being driven 
away. If a sparrow or nuthatch was 
feeding when a jay arrived, the smaller 
bird promptly departed. 
Birds require water for bathing as well 
as drinking. Other things being equal, 
they are always more abundant along 
water courses or about lakes and ponds 
than in the surrounding country. It is, 
therefore, desirable to install in one's 
grounds a drinking and bathing fountain. 
This may be simply constructed by lining 
a shallow, saucer-shaped excavation in the 
sod with broken stone, which is covered 
with cement. The water should be about 
six inches deep in the center, and dimin¬ 
ishing to the rim of the saucer, which may 
be four feet or more in diameter. The 
water should be removed, as it tends to 
grow foul, and replaced with fresh. If a 
more elaborate and attractive fountain is 
desired, running water may be supplied by 
means of a pipe brought up through the 
center, and aquatic plants added. 
One of the most pleasing examples of 
the results of cultivating bird neighbors 
shows that this can be done, even in a 
great city. A woman living in New York 
commenced to visit a certain spot in Cen¬ 
tral Park every morning throughout the 
winter. She rubbed suet into the bark 
crevices of a certain tree and stood near¬ 
by while the nuthatches and chickadees 
feasted. Later she held peanuts on her 
hand where the birds could reach them 
from the tree trunk, and gradually stood 
further from the tree, compelling her 
feathered friends to come to her hand for 
breakfast. The final result was that she 
could go to the spot, whistle or call, and 
these birds would come fearlessly, not 
merely to her hand, but to her shoulder or 
head, and take the bits of peanut from her 
lips. The writer has seen her when she 
had two nuthatches and two chickadees 
resting on her person at one time. 
From the time you think of building a 
house until the moment you move in — 
this is the range of subjects covered by 
The House Building Number of House 
and Garden. 
a country home, in the suburbs of New 
its old-fashioned comforts and its exterior 
and interior beauties. 
Because of a lack of preparedness to extinguish fire at its incep¬ 
tion, today the charred ruins stand like a grim skeleton—a mute and 
pathetic warning to home owners of the costliness of procrastination. 
“THE MOST EFFICIENT FIRE EXTINGUISHER KNOWN” 
would have prevented, during the past year, the de¬ 
struction of hundreds of suburban homes in which the 
means of checking the blaze during the first five min¬ 
utes had not been provided. 
The purchase and use of Pyrene Fire Extinguishers 
by the United States Government, such i»stitutions as 
the New York Central and Pennsylvania Railroad 
Systems, and scores of prominent corporations assures 
the home owner of Pyrene efficiency. 
The moment Pyrene liquid strikes heat it is trans¬ 
formed into a gas blanket heavier than air, which 
smothers the flames by excluding the oxygen. 
Being a dry liquid, it neither stains nor injures the 
most delicate furnishings. 
Fire, once started, will not wait. 
The Extinguisher — handsomely and strongly built of solid brass—is an ornament to any interior. Price $7. 
At Leading Dealers Everywhere. tVriteJor Literature. 
Brass and Nickel-plated Pyrene Fire Extinguishers are included in the lists of Approved 
Fire Appliances issued by the National Board of Fire Underwriters, examined and labeled 
under the direction of the Underwriters’ Laboratories. 
PYRENE MANUFACTURING CO., 1358 Broadway, New York 
Aberdeen, S. D. 
Alton 
Anderson, S. C. 
Atlanta 
Baltimore 
Birmingham 
Boston 
Bridgeport 
Buffalo 
Butte 
Charlotte, N. C. 
Charleston, W. Va. 
Chicago 
Cincinnati 
Cleveland 
Dayton Jacksonville New Orleans Richmond 
Denver Louisville Oklahoma City St. Louis 
Detroit Memphis Philadelphia St. Paul 
Duluth Milwaukee Phoenix Salt Lake City 
Fargo, N. D. Nashville Pittsburgh San Antonio 
York. Neb. 
PACIFIC COAST DISTRIBUTORS: GORHAM FIRE APPARATUS CO., San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle 
Distributors for Canada: May-Oatway Fire Alarms, Ltd., Winnipeg, Toronto 
Distributors for Great Britain and the Continent : The Pyrene Co., Ltd., 19-21 Great Queen St., London, W. C. 
CEND NOW FOR PAD OF COLORS ON WOOD. PLAN TO 
^ USE SHINGLES THAT COME ALREADY STAINED. 
Whether you build or remodel a bungalow or small house — or 
whether you have a $20,000 residence under way, the 
most economical, the most artistic covering for roof 
and side walls is 
“CREO-DIPT ” SAUiK 
14 Grades — 16, 18, 24 Inch. 25 Different Color Shades. 
Save the muss and waste of staining on the job. 
“CREO-DIPT” Shingles come in bundles ready to lay 
We select the best grade of red cedar shingles, dip them 
in creosote and stain them any color desired. No poor 
shingles. No wedge-shaped shingles. No uneven stains. 
They lay faster and look better. 
Write for Free Booklet and Color Pad Today. Give name 
of Dealer and Architect. 
STANDARD STAINED SHINGLE CO.. 1012 Oliver St.. N. Tonawanda. N. Y. 
Bungalow for Mrs. Marion Wickman, Springfield, Mass. Arch¬ 
itect and Builder, H. G Wickman. Babylon L. I. "Creo-Dipt" 
Shingles on roof and side walls Side walls are extra long shin¬ 
gles laid with a exposure. The effect is decidedly artistic 
and the result is most economical. No restaining, no painting, 
no repairs during the life of shingles. They last twice as long as 
ordinary shingles. 
In writing to advertisers please mention House & Garden. 
389 
