American Agriculturist, November 1, 1924 
Hand Painted Weeds for 
Gifts or to Sell 
I HAVE derived so much enjoyment 
from the rare beauty of two bouquets 
of hand painted weeds made by a friend 
for Christmas that I cannot refrain from 
telling others about them. I have seen 
many expensive bouquets of hand painted 
weeds in the gift shops of the city but 
none done so well or so beautifully as 
these. Any woman can learn to do the 
work, and when artistically arranged in 
vases on the mantle or in little wall 
baskets where the sun shines on them the 
painted weeds are exquisite. 
In summer the country roadside 
abounds in many different kinds of weeds 
in a profusion of blossoms. Then along 
comes Jack Frost who helps to change 
their brilliant hues into the drab and 
unobtrusive garments of winter. And, 
now, someone has developed the idea of 
gathering these dry weeds, painting them 
and arranging them about the house to 
bring cheer and color during the cold, 
dreary days of winter. 
Start Collecting in the Fall 
If the weeds are to be painted for 
Christmas presents, one has only to take 
a car any time in November or December 
and go out along a country road to gather 
plenty of dry milk weed pods, everlasting, 
broad-bladed grasses, golden rod, teasels, 
ragweed and cat-tails picked on long 
stems. One would expect the leaves or 
flowers to shake off the dry stalks, but 
they do not seem to do so. Remember, 
though, that dried weeds are brittle and 
handle carefully. The next thing is to 
invest in several colors of oil paints (in 
small tubes) and a can of enamel stove 
black, the only expense incurred. 
When an old apron is donned and every¬ 
thing is ready, the actual painting begins. 
The stems are all painted black. Some 
of the teasels are given a coat of green, 
some gold, while others are dressed in 
silver. A very few of the golden rod 
flowers were used in my favorite collec¬ 
tion and when they were painted they 
were done in a rusty gold color. But 
it seems there is an insect which stings 
the stem of the golden rod thus forming 
a round ball about two-thirds of the way 
up the stem and these are painted in gold 
and silver. Against the black stems 
they are very colorful and add much 
to any bouquet. The grasses are painted 
gold or green with outlines of yellow. 
Of course, only one coat of paint can 
be put on at a time. This must be dried 
thoroughly before another is put on. 
For instance, a blade of grass may be 
painted yellow first. The next day green 
is painted on, leaving a little margin of 
the yellow around the edges to lend 
contrast. 
Use Ingenuity in Coloring 
The ragweeds were done in blue or 
green with touches of yellow here and 
there. The cat-tails touched up with a 
little gold give the appearance of being 
true to their natural dress of summer. 
But the prettiest and most graceful of all 
are the milk-weed pods. These are so 
prettily blended and grouped in them¬ 
selves that when painted are very artistic 
indeed. Some may be painted on the 
upper part of the pods in green outlined 
with yellow and lined with the same 
yellow underneath. Others are done in 
deep wine color with touches of gold and 
lined with a rusty gold. The wine colored 
ones mottled with silver and lined with _ 
silver are beautiful and so are those done 
in silver and lined with a rusty gold. 
These all take quite a little time in the 
making, but to see beauty grow under 
one’s hand is an aesthetic pleasure. To 
share one’s own handiwork with friends 
or relatives is also a treat. It may be, 
too, that the painted grasses can be sold 
through neighboring stores or thrift 
shops, and when Christmas comes ’round 
again, you should have a good supply 
tor gits or to place on sale.— Ellen 
Ackerman Elliot. 
Remove iron rust stains by soaking in 
rice water. t 
515 
Barn Lighting 
Home-made 
daylight! 
O NLY A TWIST of the automatic ignitor— 
and “ home-made daylight ” floods the room. 
Not even matches are required, because each 
fixture is equipped with a little friction sparker 
(such as those on cigar 
1 
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a 
Hi V ! 
Cooking 
lighters in idea—but 
actually efficient in 
operation). 
The light given by 
the J. B. Colt Carbide- 
gas system is often 
known as “artificial 
sunlight,” because it is scientifically found to 
contain more of the color ingredients and quality 
of actual daylight than any other artificial 
illuminant. 
For cooking, the Colt system of Carbide-gas 
furnishes a clean flame, not unpleasant in odor 
and concentrated at the point where the heat is 
needed. It will not 
overheat the kitchen. 
It gives no smoke, no 
soot; there is no carry¬ 
ing of wood or coal, 
nor danger of burning 
embers or leaking oil. 
For ironing, the Car¬ 
bide-gas self-heating iron also saves time and 
trouble. There is no waiting for it to heat and 
no changing of irons. An even temperature is 
automatically maintained. 
TF-# 
TTTmhsSi 
BfTffn 
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Ironing 
The College of Agriculture of the University of 
Wisconsin conducted investigations on the sub¬ 
ject of farm lighting, the results of which have 
been published. 
Among other things they found that the cost 
of operating an average Carbide-gas lighting 
plant was cheaper by half than any other mod¬ 
ern lighting system lor rural use. 
Another interesting 
fact demonstrated was 
that cows can be sta¬ 
bled and fed under 
good lighting in one- 
third less time than 
under old-fashioned 
lighting. TheJ.B.Colt 
barn-light is specially designed, and is the re¬ 
sult of many years’ experience in barn lighting. 
Perhaps its most valuable use, in addition to 
lighting the barn, is in chicken-houses. 
We have been informed by some users that 
increased egg production alone has paid for the 
cost of the entire installation. Under the soft 
“artificial daylight” of Carbide-gas, hens will lay 
uniformly the year round. 
♦ * * * * 
The J. B. Colt system consists of a simple auto¬ 
matic generator, buried at some convenient 
place in the yard. It holds 200 lbs. of Union 
Carbide at one filling— 
which means that the 
only attention it re¬ 
quires is recharging on 
an average of two or 
three times a year, and 
removal at the same 
time of residue which 
then serves as whitewash, soil corrective, or 
germicide. 
From the “gas-well” the gas is carried 
through concealed iron pipes, throughout house, 
bam, porches, poultry buildings and grounds. 
Very attractive terms can be arranged for the 
purchase of a Colt plant if you are a farm owner. 
Ask us about them. 
N. B. Do not be deceived by inferior imitations of the 
Colt plant. Representatives for the genuine Colt system 
can furnish credentials. 
Union Carbide for use in 
the Colt system is distributed 
from more than 175 conve¬ 
niently! ocated U nio nCarbide 
warehouses throughout the 
country—direct to the user 
at factory prices. There is one 
near you. 
More Egg9 
J. B. COLT COMPANY 
Oldest and largest manufacturers of Carbide lighting 
and cooking plants in the world 
KANSAS CITY. MO. 
716 N.Y. Life Bldg. 
CHATTANOOGA, TENN. 
6th & Market Sts. 
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 
8th & Brannan Sts. 
OlP 
TRADE 
NEW YORK, N.Y. 
30 E. 42d St. 
ROCHESTER. N.Y. 
31 Exchange St. 
CHICAGO, ILL. 
1001 Monadnock Block 
Turk 
RENEWING STRENGTH 
It’s true that what you 
assimilate today becomes 
strength for to-morrow’s task. 
Scott’s Emulsion 
is an easily absorbed tonic- 
nutrient that seldom fails to 
build strength and resistance 
in those who utilize it. 
Scott & Bowne, Bloomfield, N. J. 24-32 
Wrist Watch 
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Given for selling 30 assort- 
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SOMETHING TO SELL 
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