ellises that
relieve the monotony of the white. This the old farmers realized, and it
is one of the reasons why it was so much used. If your house is
shingled, there are a great many shades of gray that need a white trim,
and there is no color that harmonizes with every other as well as this.

There are a great many reliable stains for shingles; do not let the
painter mix the stain himself, because that carefully prepared by a
manufacturer is generally superior both in color and durability. In
mixing these stains, both Creosote and oil are used, there being on the
market to-day excellent brands of both kinds.

The repainting of the country house is a necessary evil that recurs
periodically. We tire of one color as we weary of an old dress, and this
leads to a different tone of coloring each time. For instance, the white
house is changed possibly to a Colonial yellow or a gray, and with its
new coat it seems to take on a new lease of life. The fall of the year
is the best time for the painting, as the dry October weather is
especially suited for good results. During the summer months there are
insects flying about and too much dust. By October the outside has had
time to cool after the heat and is in good condition for treatment.

The time to paint is before the house gets shabby, when the paint is
powdery or porous. It can be tested with either a knife or the finger,
and if the old paint chips off, soaks up water, or can be rubbed off
like a powder with the finger, it no longer protects the wood and needs
another coat. With this covering of paint, wood will last practically
forever, and as lumber is expensive, it is greater economy to keep your
house properly painted.

The cost of painting is a serious problem to many house owners and is
never alluded to by an agent when selling a house; to the novice it does
not occur, so eager is he to secure for himself a new home. At the end
of the second year, its freshness is dimmed through exposure to wind and
storm, and at the end of the third season, it is shabby and needs a new
covering. In attempting to figure the cost, it is necessary to ascertain
the square feet on the outside. Any painter has a rule for this, making
allowances for errors. Windows and doors are considered as plain
surfaces that are to be treated to paint even though only the sills and
sides are in need of it.

Good exterior paint costs from three to five dollars a gallon, and a
painter can put on one h