The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-19
III. Food shelter partially en-
closed.

III. Food shelter partially en-.
closed.
and only feed sufficient food for one
days consumption.
Chicliadec s are attracted by well
broken almonds or peanuts placed on
n tray fastened TO q tree. Nuthatches
prefer sunflower seed. Suet Is the best
general food. and nearly every bird
vii Get II through the wiater; this
can lie tied on strings and hung from
trees in the sun. otherwise il will get
too hard for the birds to eat.
NatarG. food Is scarce all winter and
tie birds should bs fed regularly every
gay until spring. Fresh water should
also be supplied - our feathered
friends every day. Clean out the
water dishes. removing the ice. and
nj them with fresh. clean water. Sup
ply meals at a regular hour.
Gardeners and farmers who suf-
fer from the destruction OF crops
dp their utmost to encourage the birds.
that they may flourish AID destroy the
Insects which they devour IA large
quantities for food during warm
weather.
Bird houses Of various designs
should be put up - suit the tastes OF
different kinds OF birds. Chickadees, tit
mice. nulha;chcs. vrons. swallows. fly
~catchers. owls, sparrowhawks. hickers
and ~red-headed and golden-fronted
woodpeckers take readily to artificial
houses. Shelters that are open on one
side are used by birds that will not
venture into dark houses.
Make shelters and get them up and
in operation Immediately. and during
the long winter evenings make nesting
houses and have them ready.to put up
In the spring. Packing boxes furnish
inexpensive material. and when paint
ed look as we'll as those made from
new lumber.
MY Growing Garden" by j. Horace
Mcfarland. describes the authors
purchase Of two acres Of San Jose
scale with a house attached and Its
development into a beautiful home.
This Is a good book to read before
attempting to lay out home grounds
or improve old places.
In the first place tho author dis
poses OF a delicate subject, the cut
ting out process where there are too
many trees. We have hes.tated sug-
costing the improvement Of over
planted places by the use of the axe
because II Is SO easily ~overdone. Many
places are overplantcd. too many
trees making the shade so dense on
the lawn thai grass will not grow and
completely shutting off the view from
the house in all directions. II there
happens to be an available space II IS
filed with an overgrown lilac or some
other tall growing shrub. The only
remedy for this condition is the axe,
but before the work Ia done a care
full plan should be made Of the effect
desired. taking out the trees in a man
ner to open up attractive views from
the house, although the view may pre-
sent nothing more than a few good
specimens OF trees at u proper dis
lance This will let In sunlight where
It Is required. removing tho gloomy
! dampness Of an overshaded place. But
very often h x IL used tndiscrim-
inateiy and splendid possibilities arc
ruined. The object tn attain In that
looking from any part OF h house
there shall he an agreeable view Of
things growing. and that looking tow
ard the house from any part of the
garden there shall also be n pleasant
prospect of plants or shrubs or
trees
Early planting Of roses Is advised,
, March and April, and in fact early
planting of all trees and shrubs has
, given best results with this author.
AS to sweet peas, "who are We" the
author asks, "three or four genera
tons from the woods. to compete with
soil three feet deep, edged by lawns
n thousand years old? Go down into
the earth n yard with the sweet pea
trench. and to start with six inches
Of rough manure TO hold moisture
following with layers OF soil and ma.
nure on top This Is the correct way
to prepare the soil for sweet peas
The ordinary cultivation, turning the
soil from eight inches to a foot deep
never will produce tho best results
with sweet peas.
Tho Colorado blue spruce. the au'
thor wisely suggests. should not b,
used as the chief feature Of Q lawn
1t Is particularly useful sfoa color o.