HOUSE AND GARDEN 
May, 
1914 
BORED ? 
N OT if you know Vanity Fair — it keeps you interested in 
everything! Is there anything stupider than a play you 
don’t follow, an opera with whose theme you are not 
familiar, or (worst of all) people who talk about things— 
sport, literature, art, fashion—that you don’t happen to be 
“up” in. 
Vanity Fair will keep you informed. You can read it 
from cover to cover without being bored an instant, and better 
still, it will prevent your being bored for a month afterwards — 
it gives a new life, a new zest to almost everything you find 
yourself doing. 
The next six numbers of Vanity Fair ( regular 
price 25 cents each) will be sent for $1 if you 
mail the coupon now. As the supply of the May 
number is limited, send the coupon promptly. 
Vanity Fair, 449 Fourth Avenue, New York 
For the $1 enclosed send me Vanity Fair for six months beginning with the May number, 
in accordance with your special offer in Louse & Gauden for May. 
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FOR EVERY GARDENER’S TOOL BASKET 
The Gardener’s Pocket Manual 
By F. F. ROCKWELL 
Author of “ Home Vegetable Gardening** and “ Gardening Indoors and Under Glass** 
Bound in Water-proof and Dirt-proof Cloth. Small 12mo. 75 cents net. Postage 10 cents. 
This efficient and practical little book is intended to be carried 
in the tool basket for reference in garden operations. It is the 
latest word in practical gardening books, and is designed to give the 
gardener definite information where and when he needs it, during 
the operations of digging, planting, pruning and spraying. 
McBRIDE, NAST (&. COMPANY Publishers NEW YORK 
tucked his best White Plymouth Rock pul¬ 
let under his arm and made for the ring. 
His chagrin and discomfiture, when the 
judge took the treasured hen, and pulling 
out a black feather from under one wing, 
remarked “disqualified,” were overwhelm¬ 
ing, but he also insists it was the turning 
point in his existence, for he made a vow 
then and there to have the best or none. 
Many who are ambitious to breed prize 
birds refrain from doing so, as they fear 
the thoroughbreds require better quarters 
or different care from the ordinary flock; 
but this notion is quite erroneous, as all 
sorts and kinds of fowls require proper 
conditions to do well, namely, clean, wind 
and rain-proof houses '(which are well- 
aired but free from draughts), plenty of 
exercise, ample yard room, and good, 
sound, wholesome food and pure water. 
The Thoroughbred as an Egg 
Producer 
L AYING ability is usually inherited 
through the male, and the building up 
of a strain of layers is difficult except as 
the result of trap-nesting and a faithful 
record-keeping. As an example of this 
point, Mr. Young (winner at Madison 
Square of the best display of Single-comb 
White Leghorns for thirteen years) was 
not satisfied merely to be known as the 
owner of finely appearing birds, but was 
also ambitious to go on record as breeding 
fine layers; this he did by using the indis¬ 
pensable trap-nests, until to-day his flock 
contains many with yearly records of over 
250 eggs. 
The trap-nest has been brought to a 
really high state of perfection, and to-day 
there are many excellent trap-nests on the 
market largely based on the same prin¬ 
ciple. For instance, the hen on entering 
the nest releases the door, which is sus¬ 
pended by a wooden hook from the cover 
of the box, and when the trap is set is 
swung in and up against the top. The 
most practical of these nests are divided 
into compartments, a front and a rear 
(where the nest is), which allows the hen 
to leave her nest when she has laid the 
egg, and thus does away with the possi¬ 
bility of her breaking it. The hen should 
also have a numbered leg-band, and when 
released from the nest the leg number is 
recorded with the date in the record-book. 
With this keeping of records it will greatly 
surprise the uninitiated how many fine- 
looking birds are merely robbers, consum¬ 
ing far more food than they ever repay 
with eggs. 
What to Do Now 
W ITH the approach of milder 
weather a sharp lookout should 
be kept against lice and mites in the hen 
houses. A thorough whitewashing with 
two tablespoonfuls of carboiic to every 
four gallons is an excellent preventive. 
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