Making a bird-bath

Media

Part of The Young Citizen: The Magazine for Young People

Title: Making a bird-bath
Creator: Barber, Dorothy
Language: English
Source: The Young Citizen : the magazine for young people 5 (11) November 1939
Year: 1939
Subject: Birdbaths; Bird attracting—Equipment and supplies
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Fulltext: November, 1939 THE YOUNG CITJZE"'I .pl MAKING A BIRD-BATH By DOROTHY BARBER A BIRD-BATH not only adds to the beauty of a garden, but it is a sign to the birds that there is a friendly spot. In order to-make a bird-bath, all the material you need is a quantity of Portland cement, some sand, and some small pieces of ornamental rock. For the latter, a large colorful rock broken into small. pieces is most satisfactory. Decide on the circumference and the <iepth you wish your bird-bath. to be. Then, in an out-of-the-way place, make a mound of earth to correspond to the measurements inverted. Cover this earth mound smoothly-several thicknesses of newspaper is best. Mix one part of cement with two parts of sand, and add water to make a consistency easy to plaster over your paper covered mound. Make the edges not less than an inch in thickness. The cement should gradually be thicker towards the center where you mold a bottom for it to rest when it is finished. While the cement is still soft, stick the small pieces of rock in around the edge. Make sure that they are not only solid, but that they sho;., through the cement and p~otrude beyond the edge of the WHY IS IT TRUE? (Ask your )1igh ·school friends.) fljillin<a a 91obe 'IVith. Watir 1 1J _in lllss th.an Fivll :Secon.ds .... \\1'j) ~~~~ Ho1d"" -~. · th_ll ti'e of an.old lia,h.t gJoba. undarwalq.f"ansl break. it otf. Quickly lli.~ gjobll ·:· -t• ·:· ·:· ·:· ·:· ·:· will fl JI ').)ith. wat~t; ExPLANATION: Much of the air was removed from inside the glass bulb. When a hole is made in the bulb under the wat~r, the outside air pushes on the water and forces it up into the bulb-. basin. When it is dry (in several days), slip a board beneath the basin and turn it .over.· Remove the paper; you may have to soak it out, Then make a paste of a small portion of cement and water, ;nd rub it well into the surface of the bath. For a pedestal on which to place this bird-bath, use two two~by-fours fastened together and sunk into the earth at least three feet. Place the bath upon the pedestal. Stain it a dCep brown or green, train- vines around it, and you have a thing of beauty which, to the birds, will l)e a joy forever.
pages: 411