SEEDS

W ATLEE BURPEE & CO

Annual

The Leading American Seed Catalog for 1915 is a bright book of 182 pages, with hundreds of illustrations and carefully written descriptions of Vegetables and Flowers. It tells the Plain Truth, and is a safe guide to success in the garden. It is mailed free to everyone who wants to plant

Small Gardens
For Small Folks

This is an interesting little book specially written for us by Edith Loring Fullerton. Its four chapters and attractive illustrations tell how and what to plant, and explain the why and wherefore of successful gardening. So enticingly is the story told that children will find its reading as absorbing as a fairy tale. A postcard will bring both these books. Write today and kindly mention St. Nicholas.

W. ATLEE BURPEE & CO. Burpee Buildings Philadelphia

REPORT ON ADVERTISING

COMPETITION No. 156

IN THE DECEMBER ST. NICHOLAS

If all the answers to this December Competition had arrived on the same day, The CENTURY Co., would have needed a pack as large as that used by Santa Claus, to hold them all! It seemed as if most every boy and girl who reads ST. NICHOLAS wanted to test their own ingenuity and cleverness, and so our mails were simply crowded with competitions sent in by our devoted friends.

There were many beautiful ones, and some very original ones, too. My-what a difficult time the Judges had in deciding who should be the prize winners! Someone heard them remark that they wished they could give every boy and girl who competed a prize, as every one tried so hard.

Our readers are surely the brightest, most wide-a-wake young people to be found any where.

After judging, judging, JUDGING, and more JUDGING, the prizes have been awarded. One First Prize, $5.00:

Robert Martin, age 14, Massachusetts.
Two Second Prizes, $3.00:

Edith M. Johnston, age 15, District of Columbia.
Edmund Demarois, age 16, Michigan.

Three Third Prizes, $2.00:

Hilda Esther Cox, age 11, New York.

Mary Stevens, age 13, New Jersey.
Josephine R. Corlies, age 20, New Jersey.
Ten Fourth Prizes, $1.00 each:

Geraldine Cowle, age 13, England.
Elizabeth May Adams, age 11, Illinois.
Edward Wennerstrom, age 14, New York.
Alfred G. Hobby, age 15, New Jersey.
Helen Louise Birkmier, age 10, Ohio.
Rose Lewis, age 14, New Jersey.
Homer Riggs, age 12, New York.
Helen C. Kirkwood, age 17, Canada.
Esther Schustrin, age 14, New York.
Laura Nelson, age 16, Wisconsin.
Honorable Mention:

Ursula Nix
Dorothy M. Jayne
Maybelle I. Galbreath
Lillian Olson
Florence L. Ralston
Miriam Hardy
Elizabeth Hawks
Malcolm T. Good

Gordon Maurer
Lillian Glenn
Joseph V. K. Wells, 4th

Elizabeth Cleland
Margaretta Wood
Wm. V. Alexander, Jr
Martha Cramm
Elizabeth B. Loring

THE CENTURY

is a magazine which you cannot afford to be without. It contains that which thinking people talk about when they meet-the ablest expositions of the causes which lie behind the present war, the best fiction, the timeliest, livest material in any monthly magazine. If you are not taking it regularly, will

you not accept a special offer which will enable you to get the next four numbers at a special price? Fill out this coupon, cut it off, and enclose with a dollar bill.

Address...

(387)

PRIZE COMPETITION

Thus the far-reaching effects of the war can be

well pleased with the interest shown in this matter. Not only did the number of replies exceed our expectations, but the subject-matter was exceedingly interesting. Generally speaking, the answers were far more intelligent, more to the point, and better written, than were the replies to our first competition, some months ago. And this fact made the choice of prize-winners a difficult one. In the various papers submitted, the effects-possible and probable of the war upon our favorite hobby were so well treated, and from so many aspects, that it was hard to decide who were really entitled to the prizes. Perhaps another time it will be necessary to offer more prizes. This time we have awarded the first prize (Junior Album) to Louis N. Shapiro, of Wilmington, Delaware. The second prize (a copy of Scott's Catalogue) goes to Fred McLean, of New Bedford, Massachusetts. We publish on this page the composition winning the first prize. Other papers of real merit were received from Pelham Williams, Chickasha, Oklahoma; Kathryn E. Osborn, Alameda, California; Herman Baer, Waterbury, Connecticut; Karl R. Philbrick, Skowhegan, Maine; Paul A. Culbert, Fremont, Ohio, and Thomas Coyle, Quogue, Long Island. There was another one, too short to be a prize-winner, but of much interest, written by Dorothea Sachs, Cincinnati, Ohio. These were the better ones, but many of the papers not mentioned had in them much to commend.

THE EFFECT OF THE WAR ON THE
STAMP WORLD

EVE

VERY thoughtful stamp-collector has asked himself, during the past few months, what effect the war now raging in Europe will have with respect to stamps and stamp-collecting. We all think, and are probably not astray in doing so, that new sets of stamps will be issued by the different nations now at war. As to their beauty, we should not expect too much, as our friends across the sea will have far greater things to think about than the beauty and design of their stamps.

The most fruitful sources of stamps will most likely be the colonies and territories which are now in the hands of one nation and then in those of another. These exchanges render necessary new issues of stamps, or, at least, surcharges on old issues. An instance of this may be had from the recent surcharges of German stamps for use in Belgium.

On account of this great struggle in Europe, many stamps will become rare, and collectors who are so fortunate as to possess those stamps will later have collections of considerable value. Every collector will see the necessity, as it were, of procuring those stamps of the warring countries which he has neglected to get before, and will put forth special efforts to do so. It is true that collectors are even now paying comparatively large sums for rare German stamps, and will possibly pay more before the end of the war.

Indirectly, the war has even affected our Own country, as can be seen from the new revenue stamps which have been issued. These stamps will probably interest many collectors. They are described in the November number of Scott's Circular.

20

ence will extend to many countries, and bring out many new stamps and surcharges. As a result, stamp-collecting will become more popular, and every old collector will be fired with new enthusiasm for collecting these interesting bits of paper. LOUIS N. SHAPIRO (age 15).

MAN

WHO CAN HELP US?

ANY queries come to Stamp Page from its readers, and we are always glad to receive them. Nearly all of them, however, refer to the identification of some stamps which have bothered their owners, and to these we are easily able to give help; but once in a while comes a question which puzzles us. And here is one. Mr. Winslow Walker writes us as follows: "While looking over my atlas with my father, I found a small republic named 'Andorra,' which is situated among the eastern Pyrenees, on the border between France and Spain. Its area is 149 square miles. It has been independent since the time of Charlemagne. I would like to know what stamps it uses?" We do not know. We have looked about quite a bit here and there, and can find no answer. We seem to recall that at one time we read something about the postal arrangements of Andorra; we think that on letters going north, either into or through France, French stamps are used, while letters going south into Spain bear Spanish stamps. But of this we are not sure. Who can help us to answer this question?

AL

UNITED STATES NOTES

There

LL of us collect United States stamps. fore we should all be watching for the newer things as they come out. And there are at present quite a few varieties which ought to be in our collections, and which should be secured at the present time. How many of us have all of the current values perforated 12? Better try hard to complete the series at once, for the new stamps, those now coming into use, are perforated 10. Then there are the part-perforates-stamps issued in rolls or coils. These should be looked out for, and a complete series collected. For the new rolls are also perforate 10 instead of 81⁄2, as formerly. If possible, get these part-perforate stamps in pairs, and, if you buy them, or collect them unused, get them in a strip of four showing the guide-line between the middle stamps. Remember, too, that these stamps come part-perforate both horizontally and vertically, and we want our collections to show specimens of every kind. Then the current rolls, perforate 10, come with two water-marks; first, upright, which is scarce; and, secondly, sidewise, these being printed in a different way. Altogether, these many varieties make it necessary for us collectors to keep our eyes wide open until we have all of them. Then, again, we must watch closely for the new revenues. These are just coming into common use. To say that they are a disappointment to all stamp lovers is putting it very mildly. Hitherto we have all been justly proud of all of our own issues-adhesives, envelops, and revenues. But this new series is disgraceful. It is on a par with the cheapest issues of irresponsible South