Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 February 1917 — Page 2

INVITE the BIRDS to be NEIGHBORS

PREPARED Bf 7H£ UMT£t> S7XTEJ DEPARffIEFT OF AGRICULTURE

WOODPECKER IS THE BIRD ARt CHITECT. Builders of artificial birdhouses generally go to the woodpecker for designs. and by varying styles to suit the tastes of different kinds of bird's, have been rewarded by such tenants ns chickadees, tufted titmice, whitebreasted nuthatches, Bewick and Carolina wrens, violet-green swahows. crested flycatchers, screech owls, sparrow hawks, and even some of the woodpeckers, the master builders themselves. Flickers readily accept houses built according to their standards. Red-headed and golden-fronted

“Log Split and Halves Marked to Be Gouged Out to Form a Cavity. Halves to Be Screwed 'Together. Top Should Ba CovAred With Tin or Zine. —-----

woodpeckers are willing occupants of artificial houses, and even the downy woodpecker, that sturdy little carpenter, has, in one instance at least, deemed such a home a satisfactory abode in which to raise a family. Shelters having one or more sides open are used by birds which would never venture into dark houses suited to woodpeckers. They would have been occupied by robins and brown thrashers, and, in one instance, by a song sparrow. Ordinary wooden boxes, if clean, can be' made into birdhouses by merely nailing on a cover and cutting out an entrance hole. Such makeshifts are rarely weatherproof and are never

SIZES OF NESTING BOXES.

Birds differ decidedly in their requirements for nesting. In building birdhouses or providing nesting facilities, the requirements of the particular species which it is desired to attract should be considered. For those which usually excavate homes

g . ' Floor Depth . Entr Diam. Height, bpecies. c hv R 8 6 IV2 4by 4 Bto 10 8 6to la White-breasted nuthatch —4 by 4 Bto 10 8 14 12 to M House wren 4by 4 6to 8 Ito % 6to 10 Berwick wren 4by 4 6to 8 Ito 6 1 6to 10 Carolina wren 4by 4 6to 8 Ito 6 I*4 6to 10 hV b b 1 <5 1 iv a Martin-.,.—. lt 3 Song_ ’ .... , 4. g_ »toi2 House finch 6 bv 6 6 (*) Q.-- 8 to 12 Fhoebei'. 6bv 6 Bto 10 8 2 Bto 20 Crested flycatcher ? to 18 16 6to 20 Red-headed woodpecKer^. ■••.•••;p y 2 12 to 20 Golden-fronted woodpecker. - 15 12 jo to 20 ’ .4 bv 4 Bto 10 8 1% 6to 20 Downy woodpecker g b j, 3 12 to 15 12 3 10 to 30 Screech owl s b j. 8 12 to 15 12 3 16 to 30 Sparrow hawk . g by 6 io t o 12 10 2% 12 to 20 Saw-whet owl 10 by 18 15 to 18 4 6 12 to 18 Barn owl • by 18 10 l 0 15 3 6 4to 20 Wood duck .. One or more sides open. ■ ■ ’ (=) All sides open.

WONDERFUL FEAT OF NELSON

How a Writer Got Things Mixed on Incident in Life of Great Admiral* It is, of course, necessary that writers of historical reminiscences be masters of a certain amount of accurate information about their heroes if they are to avoid mistakes. There is an amusing instance of how one writer, lacking such information, got things mixed with reference to an incident in the life of the great Nelson. Not so long ago a reviewer in a London papep criticizing a book on Nelson, related on his own account the following episode of the eminent- British naval commander: “While in chase "of Villeneuve’s French fleet he was informed of the enemy heaving id sight, at which information Nelson evinced the highest satisfaction and gleefully rubbed his hands.” Whereupon some one Immediately pointed out that this incident had occurred in 1805, and that Nelson had lost his right arm in the attack on Santa Cruz, Tenerlffe, in 1797 —eight years prior to his pursuit of Vllleneuve’s fleet.

All That Proves.

"How’s he getting along?” “Very well. He says he’s had his pay raised three times in the last six “That proves only one thing.” - "What?" “That hill abiVty to hragabout himself has Improved remarkably.”—Detroit Free Press.

(Fig. 1)

pleasing to the eye. Branches containing real woodpecker holes, when obtainable.' are perhaps the' best attraction that cun be offered most house birds inthe breeding season, according to the United States biological survey. By carefully fitting such a branch t<j a fruit or shade tree, its origin will scarcely be noticed. The house shown here is suitable for use in trees. It is made from a log or large branch, "hollowed by decay, and fitted with a top and bottom as illustrated in the figure. The cover is to go on after the 10g is fastened in place. Either the top or bottom should be removable so as to permit cleansing. Another way

(Fig. 2)

House Made From Hollow !.<>?.

of making a log house is to split a straight-grained log two feet or more in length through the middle and then to cut out a cavity with a gouge. The excavations in the two halves can be made to match exactly by means of a pattern or template having the size and shape desired for the proposed cavity through the plane of cleavage. Figure 2 shows the appearance of such a house and how to place the template symmetrically on each half of the stick. The top of this house should be covered with tin or zinc to keep out moisture. The halves should -be fastened together with screws to allow the house to be taken apart and cleaned.

for themselves, the diameter of the entrance and the depth and diameter of the'ravrtyTnust be in accord with their specific standards. The following table, furnished by. the United States bureau of biological survey, gives the sizes of nesting boxes* for various species of birds, together with the height above the ground they should be located.

FIRST STARTED PUNCTUATION

Venetian Printers Were the First to Develop Rational and Comprehensive System.

The first to develop a rational and comprehensive system of punctuation were the famous Venetian printers, Aldus Manutius, his son, Paulus, and the latter’s son, Aldus. Jr. Aldus Manutius, also known as Teobaldo Manned and Aluo Manuzio, was not only the founder of the famous Aldine Press and one of the greatest scholars of his time, but he was the father of punctuation in modern times. Ar.istoplianeSi the ancient grammarian, invented a system of punctuation, but it was wholly lost during the Dark Ages, and no attempt was made, to revive it until the reign of Charlemagne. Under the latter's direction, Warnesfried and Alouin formulated a punctuation system, but there were few rules governing the use of their signs, and they were practically worthless. Aldus Manutius and his successors of the Aldine Press increased the number of punctuation marks and established fixed rules for their use. Later grammarians have introduced some improvements, and the rules of punctuation have been changed somewhat and new ones added, but the punctuation system of the Manutius formed the foundation for that now in use.

How Women Judge.

Mrs. Flatbush—Does she< Judge “people by their clothes? Mrs. Beusonhurst— —She does ls they’re hanging out on the line with the wash in the backyard.

THE EVENING REPUBLICAN, RENSSELAER, IND. >

A raincoat for a small boy or girl is practically indispensable,, winter of summer. One of the worth-white features of winter raincoats is that they may be made of material sufficiently heavy to afford perfection from cold and from rafn at one and the same time. There are a number of chemical processes by which fabrics are rendered waterproof, and while in all cases It is not possible to guarantee that a heavy downpour of rain will fail to penetrate fabric so treated, it will usually withstand an average shower. Hence the old-fashioned rain-cbat-that-was-fr raincoat pure and simple—nothing more-I—has 1 —has been relegated to oblivion, and In its place has come a garment that does not advertise itself as exclusively for rainy-day wear. An attractive little coat is made of rainproofed English suiting in a yfrle “cKeckedT pattern? and it is finished all around with braid and belted in at the waist with a patent leather belt,which may'be in black or some vivid color, as green, red, etc. Generous pockets and a smart little storm collar are features of the garment. A rain hat of matching fabric may be made up if desired, banded with leather or trimmed with a little wreath of rubber flowers, such as used to decorate rubber bathing caps, SHS T A fithrtClTaincoat for a small girl should be warmly lined and interlined, inasmuch as it is usually not merely slipped on for a few minutes during a downpour and then abandoned for the warmer coat of fur, velvet or plush, but must be worn to school on rainy flnys Hnd worn homo again, of drops in temperature, etc. A warm fabrie raincoatTs an excellent investment for eithef a small girl or a large one, and suitable fabrics may be purchased at any well-stocked shop. To make a coat such as the one described will require for a seven or eight-year-old girl two and a quarter yards of material 36 inches wide.

As spring approaches Dame Fashion goes into council with her talented aids and devises just what wilt be the prevailing modes for the coming "Season. This spring there is offered a most charming assortment of new and novel bonnets, in which the one shown above is truly representative, although in itself distinctive. The hat is of green braid, the lines new and attractive. The bonnet is just the thing fd'Fwear with spring suits. It It glmolv trimmed,

REST FOR EYES AND BACk

Little “Kink" That Some Lovers of: Embroidery Work May Not Have j Discovered. Is Good. 1 There are; not many devotees of the j embroidery needle whose eyes and | back dO not grow weary, after working more than just so long. Yet at times when it is imperative or desir-, able that a little more be accomplished, in order to finish the piece in hand at the time required, there is a very definite relief to be found in. certain change of position. When the sight and back muscles begin to tire try taking a good plump pillow —one with a smooth cover—into the lap, and allow the elbows to rest on it slightly. The altered position will be found to relieve the muscles, of the body, and. the change of focus will rest the eyes at the same time. This latter “kink” is not sufficiently well known among, those having rather sensitive eyesight. Today it is recommended by Specialists that those who have to do ‘near” work should exercise the eyes between times by looking intently at objects as far away as possible, and a certain young draftsman asserts that moving pictures actually rest his eyes after a day's work “over the board,” on. account of the different focusing that becomes necessary—and automatic.

USEFUL FOR KEEPING STRING

Holder That May Be Quickly and Eas- — Uy Constructed, at an Extreme-" , ■ |y Small Cost. . - This useful little article for holding three balls of string, thick, medium and thin; and a pair of scissors can be easily constructed with the aid of a piece of strong board and three round tins. Tins into which the balls of string will fit comfortably should be selected; syrup tins are just the thing. z . A bole is made in Of the bottom of each tin, and another small hole i a the position Indicated by .the cross in diagram B. The tins are

Neat and Useful

CHIC SPRING BONNET

fastened firmly to the wood with screws and the string can be drawn off through th© base of each tin.* Diagram A shows the shape of the piece of wood that will be required land it will look better if it is beveled at the edges. In the center at the top a small circular hole is made by which the hold-

Useful String Holder.

er can be suspended from a nail in the wall and just below this a short strap of leather is fastened_on with two brass-headed nails and behind which a pair of scissors may be slipped. When complete the whole thing should be painted with pale green quick-drying enamel, and for the words upon the tins black paint or enamel can be used;

BROWN AND BLACK POPULAR

Some of the Prettiest Evening Dresses Seen Recently Haye Been in __ Some of the very prettiest evening frocks have appeared during the last Week, remarks the New York Telegram. There is a pronounced feeling, for bronze and faintly brown shades, and these it is which were responsible for a pretty gown seen recently, through which a lovely knotted scarf of mauvish-pink, the real chrysanthemum pink, was threaded. The veiling was of bronze lace run with metal thread, falling over an underdress of palest brown charmeuse, which had a plain swathed bodice and the tuckedup skirt that is so decided a mark of many new models. Black gowns are more worn than mourning apart, and for them fish net is first favorite. This net was used in a second evening frock, the bodice of which was carried out in a new panne r matenal~of delightful substance, or the lack of it. This fabric has some of the characteristics of rare Persian rugs, those rugs which connoisseurs hang on walls or at the most allow to dtope sofas. For with all its rich velvety appearance it is as soft and pliable and light as the finest satin; Indeed, just as with the rugs, it is not until one handles it, finding into what tiny space it can be compressed—almost passing through the proverbial ring—and into what graceful folds it falls, that the illusion of stability given by. depth of pile is removed. And the surface has much of the Persian beauty and silken softness too. Tit the gown in question it was trimmed somewhat elaborately with fern leaves in ribbon work, after one of the most successful of the new models.

DRESSING GOWN FOR GIRL

This is in blue ripple cloth and has collar and cuffs of plain blue silk, hemstitched at edges; fullness at waist is drawn in by a girdle. Materials required: Three and onehalf yards 40 Inches wide; one-half yard 22-inch for collar and cuffs.

Plaid Linings for Cloth Skirt.

A very pretty revival is the lining dark worsted, tweed and serge skirts with brilliant Scotch plaid silks. The silk ls sometimes also used for the coat lining, but this is not always the caseas-solld linings of satin considered rather better taste, especially as the new silk skirts are often plaid or embroidered with beads or chenille.

RUBBER CENTER OF PERU

ONE would scarcely consider a place miles inland a.seaport; and yet Iquitos, the only eastern outlet for Peru, near the confluence of-the-inany rivers which form the Amazon, is visited rernlnrly by large, ocean-going vessels. The two-weeks’ Journey upriver, from Para at the mouth, is rather monotonous; there is little to see on either bank except low, swampy jungles, save a few important places, such as the city of Manaos, Santarem, Boa Vista, and some others, where the land is comparatively high, until one reaches his destination, which is only 328 feet above sea level, writes Samuel E. Bayless in the Bulletin of the Pan American Union. At last he steps out on the large, half-mlllion-dollar floating wharf of the boat company; and then comes the big surprise, for Iquitos is not at all the rough, frontier Amazon city one sometimes reads about. Writers of such articles cannot have known the place well, or have not seen it of late years; for-there is much of comfort, beauty and substance in this the capital of the great province of Loreto, >vhlch occupies nearly the whole of Peru east of the Andes, and contains more than 280,000 square miles, or as much as three or four of our states put together. The city is comparatively new, being scarcely more than a third of a century from the Jungle stage, and owes its growth and prosperity to the everincreasing demand for rubber. In fact, it is one of the great rubber ports of the world. The first thing a person naturally notices is the buildings in the business section. These are the city hall, a commodious-and well-built structure, as is also the prefecture, or statehouse; Masonic hall —the lodge has quite a large membership among Iquitenos and foreigners; various storehouses; two very large barracks for the soldiers; provincial prison, and the splendid new hotel, the Malecon Palace, of re-enforced concrete, a handsojnely decorated, three-story edifice, having all modern improvements nnd convenlenees, which wa&ltuilt-at-a cost of $250,000 by Sr. Otonlel Vela, a public-spirlted-and very wealthy gentleman. This hotel is on the street facing the river, and~has its own drainage system directly into the stream.

Residences Are Up-to-Date. With the exception of a few palmthatched houses on the edge of town, the residences, too, are of brick and concrete, with tile or galvanized-iron roofs. Most of them are Brazilian in style. That is, one room clear across the whole front of the’ lot, or solar, flush with the street; and back of that two. rows of rooms, one on either sfde of the patio, or courtyard, which opens into the front room. All the rooms are large and airy. The fronts of some of the houses are beautifully decorated with colored French tiles, and the interiors arO up-to-date in all their appurtenances. All the buildings, both public and private, are exceptionally good, far better than their counterparts in many places of equal size in northern South America, Mexico and Central Aiher- ' --- -- ■ r , The number of inhabitants of the city varies, from 30.000 during the high-water, period to 18,000 —it may drop to 12,000 in the dry season, when the rubber-gatherers are out. Being the capital, the local assembly, or consejo provincial, meets here, as well as the superior and minor courts. The prefect, or governor, is appointed by the-authorities in Lima; but the alcalde, or mayor, Is elected; and he and the members of his council may be (some usually are) foreigners^ —merchants, as a rule. That part of the Peruvian army which is stationed here is well equipped, drilled and officered. There is a splendid parade ground about a mile and a half. from town, where It is a pleasure to watch the troops at drill and target practice. The goVernmejMffgunboats and a transport are usually stationed here. They were built in Europe and brought over under their own steam. The public schools, four in number, are well taught and attended, the

people being very generous in the support of their schools. The citizens belonging to the upper class of native Peruvians are very well educated, many of them having traveled extensively in Europe. Lively Place Socially. When everyone is home, during the worst of the rainy season (there are two dry seasons of from two to four weeks each, and the rainy season lasts pretty much over the rest of the year), with the prefect and his staff, numerous army officers, merchants and foreigners, the place is quite lively. There are public banquets, and private dinners and dances, and as Iquitenos are very hospitable, a person soon becomes acquainted, especially if he speaks Spanish, and loses entirely the feeling of isolation. The principal product of this part of South A merlca is rubber. which 18 gathered from the vast tropical forests, and many thousand tons of it are shipped frojn Iquitos every year. Next in Importance, in the matter of -exports, is the tagua nut, or vegetable ivory, and the number of tons of this product sent out is increasing. Third come c<’dar logs in the found, which are now being supplied for pencil wood, cigar boxes, etc. A few hides, 1 skins of boas, deer, and other wild animals complete the list of articles which reach the outside In any quantity from this port. Very few agricultural products are obtainable. The soil, a loose sand underlaid by stiff blue joint clay, which is close to the surface, is not conducive to farming; and the few chacras. or small farms, are some distance from the city. Four- years ago a very powerful wireless station was erected by the government to replace one less powerful ; and .now the town is in direct radio connection with Lima, clear across the Andes, without any relay of messages. Indeed, the operator frequently told me he had “picked „up’l Washington the night before and heard messages going from there. But treaties for exchanging commercial messages even- with Manaos had not yet been arranged. There is also wire communication with many points nearer than Lima, and telephones in the town, though their use is not general. At. least two newspapers are published here regularly, also a small magazine; and three theaters, two used for moving pictures, furnish plenty of entertainments

Burn Coal From Norfolk. All the coal is brought from Norfolk, Va., and although very high in price, is used by the ice factory, bottling works, electric-light plant and various machine shops, both government and private. Even the little street railroad, which runs from the customhouse along the principal streets to deliver freight, burns coal. This road also runs passenger trains, and operates a line out to a resort in the suburbs, called Lake Marona Cocha. To be sure, there is plenty of w’ood near by that is used to a certain extent; but it has not sufficient heat units to maintain steam well. Four days up the Nanay river, which empties into the Amazon 12 miles below Iquitos, are found outcrops of very good lignite that could be utilized under boilers, as has been proved in a small way; but so far no one has seen fit to exploit It. In the same vicinity are very good indications of petroleum. Twenty-five or thirty steamers, of from four to eight feet draft, and calling this their home port, ply the upper Amazon and numerous rivers that flow into it, though they never go below the Javary, which is the boundry between Brazil and Perp along its line of flow. They belong to the many large stores and trading companies located in Iquitos, that carry very complete stocks of goods, mostly European, and in Ordinary times when, rubber is “up” do an Immense business.

Cub Reporter—The scene beggared descriptfr-,. ./ .Editor —So I should imagine. Tour description of It Is very poor, at any rate.—Boston Evening Transcript.

The Right Word.