82 
House & Garden 
' ' 
A Flower Pot 
Wherever You 
Can Drive a Nail 
The Universal 
Portable Shelf is 
made of steel and 
b e a u tifully en¬ 
ameled. Weighs only 
S ounces and sup- 
ports 20 pounds. 
Hangs on a single 
nail. Equally use¬ 
ful for electric 
fans, lamps, vases, 
clocks, books, 
and 1(100 other 
things, 
both in 
the home, 
ga rde n, 
store, etc. 
garage, greenhouse, office, 
Finished light, medium and dark green, white, 
mahogany, light pink, light blue. tan. French 
gray, gilt, aluminum and green-bronze. 
Price, 50c each; $5.00 a dozen. 
AGENTS WANTED. Send for booklet. 
THE GEO. W. CLARK CO. 
259-C FIFTH AVE. NEW YORK 
Holland Bulbs 
Beautiful and desirable varieties 
in Darwin and other fine Tulips, 
Hyacinths, Narcissi, etc. 
Peonies and Iris 
in Fine Clumps 
Plant These Now 
Prices not Inflated. Quality the Best 
Prompt Service 
Let Us Send Our Catalogue 
FRANKEN BROTHERS 
Box 530 Deerfield, Ill. 
HOYT’S NURSERIES ^1 e c c a t n .cut 
Unusually large assortment of Ornamental De¬ 
ciduous trees and Evergreens in all sizes, Her- 
bacious Plants, Perennials, Roses, Hedge 
Plants, in fact, everything to make the home 
grounds attractive. Deliveries by motor trucks, 
right to your grounds, and all freshly dug 
stock. A personal inspection invited. Send 
for our catalogue. 
THE STEPHEN HOYT’S SONS CO., Inc. 
Telephone 333 New Canaan, Conn. 
JOHN C. MONINGER 
COMPANY 
EVERYTHING FOR THE 
GREENHOUSE 
CHICAGO NEW YORK 
910 Blackhawk St. 809 Marbridge Bldg. 
Irises, Hardy Plants, Lilies and 
Japanese Garden Specialties 
Send for our 1917-18 catalogue. 
Over 500 fine varieties of Irises. 
Rainbow Gardens 
PEONIES 
Fifteen fine named Peonies for $2.50 or 25 for $5.00, 
all different and truly labeled, a chance to obtain a fine 
collection at half price, comprising such varieties as 
Festiva Maxima. Delachei, Achillea, Lady L. Bramwell. 
Couronne d’Or, ProlificaTricolor, Louis Van Houtte, and 
various other fine sorts. With any order of above for 
$5.00. 1 will include one plant of Baroness Schroeder 
free. I have the largest stock in America of Lady Alex¬ 
andra Duff (absolutely true) and many other fine varie¬ 
ties. Send for catalog. 
W. L. GUMM, Peony Specialist, Remington, Indiana 
“Seeds with a Lineage” 
Send for catalog “Garden and Lawn.” 
Carters Tested Seeds, Inc. 
127 Chamber of Commerce Bldg. 
Boston, Mass. 
CARTERS I E E s E T D E s D 
Some Garden Weather Knowledge 
T HE simplest mechanical frost pre¬ 
dictor seems to be a contrivance re¬ 
cently introduced by Sir Henry 
Cunnynghame, of England. It is simple, 
because one does not have to consult 
any bothersome or complicated tables, 
and is so easy to read that a child can 
be sent out to consult it. Two ordinary 
quicksilver-filled thermometers are fitted 
to a metal plate on which are arranged 
the degrees of temperature applying to 
one of the thermometer tubes. This 
makes a perfect thermometer in itself. 
The other thermometer has its end cov¬ 
ered with muslin, to which is attached 
a wick that is kept in water. The quick¬ 
silver bulb of the tube is kept wet by 
this means. This thermometer has no 
scale of degrees attached to it. The only 
“observation” necessary is to consult the 
thermometer tubes soon after sundown 
or as late as practicable, and if the one 
with the wet muslin on it reads below 
the level of the other, frost is sure to 
follow during the evening or night. In 
a number of observations taken this 
simple contrivance failed only once in 
twenty-six times. 
The Most Useful Thermometer 
The most useful thermometer for in¬ 
side or general use outside is the 
combined maximum and minimum ther¬ 
mometer. It automatically registers both 
the highest and lowest temperature at¬ 
tained during any period. By this it can 
easily be seen if the house or frame is 
being properly regulated as regards its 
heat. The form known as the Six’s 
Thermometer was invented by James 
Six, of Canterbury, England, about 
seventy years ago. 
The Six’s form consists of a “U”- 
shaped tube in which a column of mer¬ 
cury is suspended. The left side indi¬ 
cates degrees of “cold,” and the right, 
degrees of “heat.” The expansion or 
contraction of a fluid in the tubes causes 
the quicksilver to rise or fall in them 
and to move an index inside, which is 
carried on top of the quicksilver column. 
This index is held in the tube when the 
quicksilver recedes, thus indicating on 
the left tube the lowest temperature, and 
on the right tube the highest tempera¬ 
ture. The indices are drawn to the level 
of the quicksilver column again by means 
of a small horseshoe magnet. These 
thermometers are usually fitted in 
weather-proof, enameled metal cases. 
The color and texture of the soil has 
a great deal to do with its temperature. 
Dark soil absorbs more heat from the 
sun and retains this heat better than 
light soil. Well-drained soils are also 
warmer than wet soils. A light soil will 
radiate the heat of the sun in the same 
manner that will anything white. 
Many of us whitewash our glass green¬ 
house roofs in the summer because we 
know it keeps the inside cool. Probably 
few know the scientific reason. It cer¬ 
tainly keeps the direct rays of the sun 
from the inside, but its great advantage 
is that it causes radiation of heat, in¬ 
stead of absorption. If we place our 
hand on a slate roof on which the sun 
has been shining in the summer time, 
and then on something of lighter color, 
exposed in the same way, one may burn 
us, while the other may be perfectly 
cool to the touch. 
A Practical Hygrometer 
When moist air is essential to inside 
plant growth we turn to the hygrometer, 
an instrument devised to tell the per¬ 
centage of moisture in the air. There 
are many kinds in general use, but those 
consisting of two thermometer tubes are 
the most reliable. Others arranged with 
clock-like faces and a hand on the dial 
are supposed to point to the correct 
amount of moisture in the air. They 
have the advantage of being very easy 
to read, but are not at all consistent and 
no reliance can be placed upon them. 
The reading of the two-tube hygro¬ 
meter does not consume more than two 
minutes, and if the instrument is a good 
one, one can rest content regarding the 
results. 
An instrument called the hygrodeik is 
a simplified, two-tube hygrometer, for by 
means of the chart, which is set in the 
center of it, readings of humidity in 
weight and percentage are immediately 
given. This instrument also gives “dew 
point,” being the temperature at which 
moisture will form in visible drops. 
The rain, the sun, the wind, and the 
calm are eagerly sought for by all at dif¬ 
ferent times. It is hard to say which 
affects things most. The sun is the cause 
of all weather changes, for by heating 
tropical regions the cold air is drawn 
down from the poles and the warm, trop¬ 
ical air rises. The cold Polar air takes 
its place and is warmed, and so a regu¬ 
lar circulation is formed. The circula¬ 
tion is made complicated chiefly by the 
unequal heating of the land and sea, 
causing regions of “high” or “low” pres¬ 
sure. The higher the temperature of 
the air at any particular place, the 
greater is its tendency to rise and the 
greater is its capacity for holding mois¬ 
ture. Any lowering of the temperature 
is followed by a condensation of the 
moisture, which appears as cloud and 
finally as rain. 
Fogs and mists are clouds close to 
the surface of the ground, caused by 
vapors arising from a warm, moist sur¬ 
face and immediately condensing. Dew 
is moisture of the air condensed on 
cold bodies on the ground. 
Nature’s Weather Signs 
We have many signs given us by 
Nature of changes in coming weather. 
Unusual visibility of distant objects, 
sharp definition of distant hills, and 
when distant sounds are heard distinctly 
are all “signs of rain.” Doors and win¬ 
dows creak, blind cords snap, and 
wounds, sores and rheumatism become 
more aggravating before a storm. 
Flights of birds far and wide in fine 
weather, short and staying near their 
nests in more uncertain conditions, are 
often considered as an indication of the 
condition of weather probable for the 
next few days. 
The leaves of many trees curl more 
or less when the air is damp; bees get 
anxious and never leave their hives be¬ 
fore a storm; ants, too, hurry to their 
subterranean dwellings, and all animals 
in general are sensitive and cognizant of 
approaching rains or storms long before 
we are. 
Changes of weather are foretold best 
by the weather glass, or aneroid barom¬ 
eter. This is a most valuable instru¬ 
ment when properly studied. 
The original ones, operated by means 
of a quicksilver tube, are very large and 
importable, and quickly get out of order, 
for the air oxidizes the quicksilver, mak¬ 
ing it sluggish. Those known as “ane¬ 
roid,” or dry barometers, are portable 
and accurate, and are not expensive. The 
smallest practical one has a 5" face. 
■"THE summer and fall months are the months when 
1 flowers, plants and shrubbery need to be fed on 
good, rich, plant food, in order to thrive and blossom 
untilcaught by frost. “RED-SNAPPER” Plant Food 
isa rich, very nutritious and yetharmless fertilizer for 
house plants, climbing vines, rose bushes, etc. Its 
effect on plants can be noticed within a few days after 
the first application. By its use the lawn, shrubbery 
and vines, can be kept in luxuriant growth until winter. 
The flowers are kept blooming, with a beauty of color¬ 
ing and size never before attained. Red-Snapper isa 
finely ground dry bone meal made from the neads of 
the South American Red Snapperfish, mixed with other 
organic plant food, thoroughly sterilized, clean and 
sanitary. 
Order Direct If Dealer Cannot Supply You 
Grocers, druggists, hardware dealers and florists sell 
Red-Snapper products. If your dealer cannot supply 
you send us 50 cents. We will send a large 2-lb. can 
of Red-Snapper Plant Food prepaid, including an 8- 
oz. package of plant tonic to sweeten the soil and give 
plants a quick start. If you will tell us your dealer's 
name we will send you free our valuable flower book¬ 
let. “House Plants and Flower Gardens; Their Care 
and Culture.” Red-Snapper Plant Food is sold also 
in 12 1-2 lb. sack for florists and gardeners at $1.50. 
For hungry plants use Red-Snapper Plant Food 
For sickly plants use Red-Snapper Plant Tonic 
For plant insects use Red-Snapper Plant Soap 
DEALERS--Write for Our Introductory Sales Proposition. 
Dept. C8 National Plant Food Co. (g) 
Stock on hand at f ollovnng places--use nearest address: 
General Office: fau Claire. Ylis. Factory. Pensacola, fla. 
DWARF APPLE TREES 
DWARF PEAR TREES 
DWARF PLUM TREES 
DWARF CHERRY TREES 
DWARF PEACH TREES 
Catalog Free 
THE VAN DUSEN NURSERIES 
C. C. McKAY, Mgr. Box M, Geneva, N. Y. 
Don’t Take Chances 
With Your Trees 
Let us take care of them now. 
We will know what to do and do 
it right. Experts in cavity fill¬ 
ing, blocking, bracing, etc. Rep¬ 
resentatives available every¬ 
where. Send for “Tree Talk’’>-i 
the tree lover’s manual. 
THE F. A. BARTLETT CO. 
540 Main St. Stamford, Conn 
Burpee’sSeeds Qrov 
Send for Burpee’s Annual, the Leading 
American Seed Catalog. A book of 182 
pages, fully illustrated. It is mailed free 
W. ATLEE BURPEE & CO. 
Burpee Buildings, Philadelphia 
Send for Free Bird Book 
and Dodson Catalog Se^s'ciemm" 
houses made by the man the birds love. Full 
line illustrated, including famous sparrow trap 
to rid your ground of these bird enemies. 
Sent free with bird picture. Address 
JOSEPH H. DODSON. Vice Pres. & Director 
American Audubon Assn. 
731 Harrison Avenue Kankakee, III. 
SEED ANNUAL 
FREE 
Y r ou really need it. Hundreds of handy, 
handsome pages. Splendid illustrations. 
You certainly will be glad you sent for it. 
Best Annual we’ve ever issued—absolutely 
FREE. 
Fottler, Fiske, Rawson Co. 
Faneull Hall Square, Boston, Mass. 
TreesReadyTo BearFruil 
Eight years old, several times trans¬ 
planted ; can be set this fall or next 
spring in your home orchard or garden. 
Write for list of varieties. 
FRASER’S FREE BOOK lists fifty kinds of 
Apples, many varieties of Peaches. Pears, and 
other fruits. Send to-day for a copy. 
SAMUEL FRASER NURSERY, INC- 
179 MAIN St.. GENESEC, N. Y. 
/JTW5 
rVlHl/U: 
W££D KILL6R 
Grass and Weed.-Killing Chemical 
Quick, cheap, permanent weed eradica¬ 
tion for Drives, Paths, Gutters, Tennis 
Courts, Etc. 
qt. (covers 150 sq. ft.) . 50 c 
gallon .$ 1.50 
CHIPMAN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING CO., INC. 
95 Liberty St. New York 
