INPUT ARTICLE: Article: You will want to select a low-hanging tree branch that requires the squirrels to do some maneuvering to reach it, but that still rests in a comfortable line of vision for you viewing pleasure. In this case, twisted coat hangers or fishing-wire with a high tensile strength will suffice. Hang these wires with roughly six inches to one foot of slack around the tree limb. This will require that squirrels maneuver to get to the food without providing a major obstacle to them. Try attaching corn cobs to a bungee cord which is then hung from a tree limb or platform. Squirrels will perform acrobatics in an effort to feed on the corn, which is entertaining to watch. Once the wires are fastened to the tree branch, create a mechanism at the end of each wire capable of holding an ear of corn. The simplest way to do this is to twist a loop into the wire hangers that will support an ear of corn or tie a loop into fishing-wire. Attach whole ears of corn into the loops you created at the end of your wires. Make sure they are securely fastened, as they will need to support the weight of squirrels climbing on and hanging off of them. If the squirrels knock the corn to the ground, it largely defeats the purpose of employing a hanging feeder which is designed to make the squirrels “work” for the food. Now that the hanging wires have been stocked with corn, sit back and enjoy watching the squirrels perform various physical and acrobatic feats to get to the food supply. Be sure to replace exhausted ears of corn to keep the squirrels coming back.

SUMMARY: Find a suitable tree branch. Hang simple wires from the branch. Create loops or holding points at the end of each wire. Attach the corn. Enjoy the feeder in action.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Bamboo plants are typically classified as clumping bamboo, running bamboo, or reeds.  Reeds are rarely planted in yards, if ever, so you can expect to deal with either clumping or running bamboo. Running bamboo sends out rhizomes, which spread into other areas, causing the plant to become invasive. Clumping bamboo grows in tight clusters and rarely spreads out over larger areas. Most bamboo varieties do best in tropical climates, but if you live in a somewhat cooler area, there are a few hardier varieties you can attempt to grow with some success.  If you living in warmer hardiness zones, like zones 7 through 10, a few good choices might be Bambusa multiplex ‘Alphonse Karr’, Borinda boliana, and Phyllostachys nigra. The first two are clump bamboo types, while the last is running bamboo. For slightly cooler climates, like those found in hardiness zones 5 and 6, try the clumping type Fargesia dracocephala ‘Rufa’ or the running type Pleioblastus viridistriatus. Bamboo needs a great deal of sun, so you should usually pick a spot in your yard that receives 8 or more hours of sun daily. Note that some tropical species do require shade during the hottest parts of the day, however. Shade can be especially important during winter. The combination of frost and direct sunlight can dehydrate the plant quickly. As such, if you live in an area that receives frost during winter, you should opt for a spot that receives partial shade instead of one with direct sun. While bamboo can do well in many types of soil, it does best in loam or marly soils. Improve your odds of success by digging and mixing in amendments to the soil before planting.  Work garden compost or manure into the soil to provide it with additional nutrients. Ideally, the compost should be worked into the bottom of the transplant hole so that the bamboo roots sit on top of it. Loam soil is a mixture of five parts topsoil composted with two parts sand, two parts silt, and one part clay. Avoid rocky or soggy soils, as well as soils that are relatively impermeable. Bamboo has a shallow root system, yet it also grows tall and fast. As a result, it can easily get damaged by strong winds. You will need a barrier to prevent this from happening. The easiest way to protect your bamboo is to position them behind garden hedges or trees. Otherwise, you might need to build a fence around the area. If you are planting running bamboo, you will need to construct a barrier to prevent the bamboo from invading other parts of your yard. After determining the area in which you want to confine the bamboo, install barriers of sheet metal or concrete around the perimeter. These barriers should be 3 to 4 feet (0.9 to 1.2 m) deep.

SUMMARY: Know the difference between the three major types of bamboo. Pick the best bamboo variety for your climate. Pick the best spot in your yard. Amend the soil. Prepare for wind. Prevent bamboo from spreading.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Now that you’ve offered a call to action, give your reader a nudge in the right direction. A request to look over a financial report, for instance, might be accompanied by an entreaty like “let me know what you think of these numbers.” That way, the other party won’t be left wondering what to do with the information they’ve been given.  Offering a definite time frame in which you’d like to hear back (“it would be ideal if we could have these documents organized before the meeting on Thursday”) may ensure a swifter response. Try to reply to important emails within 24 hours. The signature at the bottom of the email should offer the recipient all the information they need about who you are so that there’s no need to introduce yourself at length within the message. Be sure to include your full name, the name of your company, your title or position, your preferred email address and a phone number at which you can be reached directly.  To save yourself some trouble, save your custom signature in whatever email platform you use so that it will be displayed automatically in future messages.  Providing links to your social media accounts will give unfamiliar contacts a more complete picture of you.  Don’t bog down your signature with unnecessary details, quotes or graphics. Go back over your message thoroughly to make sure it’s free of any typos, misspellings or unclear sentences. Careless mistakes can reflect poorly on you and the company you represent.  Use your email platform’s spell-checker feature to avoid accidental oversights. You can also take this time to make any last minute changes to the formatting that you think may make your email easier to digest.

SUMMARY:
Tell the recipient how you expect them to follow up. Sign off with a custom signature. Proofread your email before sending it.