A great many useful and ornamental articles can be made from old fruit
cans with the exercise of a little ingenuity and patience. I have made
glue-pots, water-bailers, bread-graters, etc., etc.
[Illustration: FIG. 1.]
Fig. 1 represents a flower-pot holder made from an empty tomato can. The
can is held over a fire until the soldering that fastens the opened or
top end of the can melts, when it will be found that by giving the joint
a sharp blow with a chisel or a table-knife it will drop off. After a
little practice, all danger of unsoldering the side joint of the can is
overcome. Strips of bark must now be cut about two inches in width, and
the can dipped in hot asphalt. Apply the bark to the outside, filling
the joints with moss, lichen, or other products of the woods. You will
now have a pretty toy, which will hold a flower-pot; or, if you like,
the earth itself may be put directly in the can. In the latter case you
must, of course, punch holes in the bottom of your can, as in other
flower-pots, so that there may be a circulation of air and water.
[Illustration: FIG. 2.]
Fig. 2 is a fruit-can bird-house, with a roof of thatched straw. In this
case the bark must be nailed on to the can, and the nails clinched on
the inside, or it can be secured by means of fine wires. On the side of
the can the tin is cut away in the form of a half-circle, this being
bent down so as to form a standing-place in front of the entrance for
the birds that are to occupy the house. Over the entrance, ornamentation
in rustic-work is nailed on to the bark, as shown in the illustration.
The bark that covers the can is one inch less in height than the can, so
as to allow the upper rim to remain bare. Into this circle of projecting
tin holes are punched one inch apart all around the rim. These holes are
made use of when stitching the straw roof to the rim of the can, as
shown at A A. To give greater strength and stiffness to the roof, a
second circle of stitches is taken at C C, and a third at D, and a
fourth at B, to prevent the straws from spreading. The bird-house is now
ready for fastening in position on the platform either with screws or
nails.
[Illustration: FIG. 3.]
Fig. 3 is a more complicated bird-house, and built to accommodate a
large number of families. The manner in which it is constructed will be
easily understood, however, from the foregoing description and a glance
at the engraving.
[Illustration: Fig. 4.]
The weather-vane (Fig. 4) may be made by flattening the side of one of
the cans, when, if the figure of the fish is drawn with the point of a
knife, any tinman will cut it out for a few cents.
[Illustration: A WINTER NIGHTMARE--A WARNING TO GREEDY BOYS.
Little Tommy's horrible Dream after partaking bountifully of Buckwheat
Cakes.]