September, 1912 
AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS ix 
THE AUTOMOBILE IN SOCIAL LIFE 
By R. H. VAN COURT 
HE value of the automobile as a social 
force or factor is beyond all calcula- 
tion and it may be doubted if its importance 
is exceeded by the telephone or the tele- 
graph. Writers upon sociology, who are 
making careful and systematic investiga- 
tion of the problems presented by our 
modern overgrown cities, tell us that the 
root of almost every difficulty which they 
encounter, lies in the congestion and over- 
crowding which prevail in our centers of 
population. The remedy to this lies in get- 
ting people out of the cities into the coun- 
try, of securing for them their birthright to 
pure air, green fields and the blue sky, and 
an agency which has caused the entire re- 
adjustment of views regarding country liv- 
ing which the automobile has already 
brought about. may surely claim to be an 
important factor in the work for human 
betterment. 
The time has not yet come when an auto- 
mobile is within the reach of everyone, but 
each year sees the nearer approach of this 
possibility and already the practical advan- 
tages of motoring are within the reach of 
just the class most in need of its help—the 
hard working business man of moderate 
means and his family, for besides making 
possible his working in the city and living 
with his family in the country, far re- 
moved from the turmoil of city life, it 
secures for them the fulness of the enjoy- 
ment of real country living. Then, too, 
there are the dwellers in small villages and 
upon farms, many of whom lead lives ex- 
ceedingly narrow and limited. If no method 
of getting about is at hand the area in 
which they exist is either limited to the 
home or to perhaps a mile or two in any 
direction, which means that the sphere in 
which life must be lived is only a few 
miles in diameter. If a bicycle or a horse 
be available the social horizon is extended 
to perhaps twelve miles in any direction, 
but with an automobile the possibilities for 
social enjoyment and recreation becomes 
vastly greater for fifty or sixty miles is 
not an excessive distance to be covered by 
even the most moderate of motorists, and 
this widens the social sphere to a radius of 
one hundred and twenty miles. This 
means, of course, that the intellectual and 
social life of this vast district is opened up 
and made possible to one, together with all 
the opportunities for growth and culture 
which they bring. 
Much of the narrowness of life in a small 
place comes of the inability to get away 
from it and the consequent feeling of de- 
pression and helplessness which it brings. 
The motor which is now used so largely 
even in the most rural communities has 
changed all this by broadening the activities 
of every day life and this, in turn, has 
wonderfully invigorated and sharpened the 
faculties for the daily work. The ease and 
rapidity with which the automobile takes 
one any reasonable distance opens up a 
very wide circle of friends and acquaint- 
ances with all the enlarged and quickened 
social activity which it involves. It also 
brings a much fuller knowledge of one’s 
country and the locality of one’s home and 
the historical places which may be com- 
paratively near and yet remain unknown 
under old conditions. The possession of 
even a very simple car sometimes makes 
possible a great number of little excursions 
which may be shared by the entire family, 
and it is astonishing how interest in local 
literature and history will be aroused and 
stimulated by the increased knowledge 
which an automobile often brings mem- 
Use it 
for 
Nothin 
But 
” 
pose 
and will dry over night. 
nish Works. 
Ill.; 301 Mission S¥., 
BILTMORE NURSERY 
Ornamental Shrubs, Hardy Plants, Deciduous and Evergreen Trees, 
Interesting, helpful, informing catalogs sent upon request. 
Box 1294 Biltmore, N. C. 
Wilson’s Outside Venetians 
Blind and Awning combined, for windows, porches and 
piazzas. Artistic, durable, unique. 
Send for Venetian Catalogue No.5 
Jas. G. Wilson Mfg. Co., 5 West 29th Street, New York 
WIZARD BRAND 
Sheep Manure 
Dried and Pulverized, makes grass, shrubs, 
trees and flowers grow quick and strong. Gives 
wonderful results. Handiest kind of ferti- ~ 
lizer to use. Economical andclean—no weeds, 
Tee 
and best at all times for landscape 
and field fertilizing. 
$ 00 per large barrel freight 
paid east of Omaha— 
omme™ cash with order. Ask 
for quantity prices and interesting 
booklet. 
The Pulverized Manure Co. 
21 Union Stock Yards, Chicago 
Wizard Brand is sold by first-class seedsmen 
BLASTICA Floor Finish is not an “‘all pur- 
varnish. It is strictly a floor varnish, and ~~ 
is designed for no other purpose than finishing floors. ~~ ‘ 
It is trade-marked like this: : N 
STANDARD VARNISH WORKS aN 
ill 
\ 
FLOOR FINISH \ 
Look for this Trade-mark on a Yellow Label. 
All others are imitations, 
Elastica will make your floors beautiful, sanitary, marproof, and waterproof, 
On floors old or new, of soft wood or hard, painted 
or unpainted, stained or unstained, or used over linoleum or oilcloth, Elasticais | 
THE ONE PERFECT FLOOR VARNISH | | 
Remember the name E-L-A-S-T-I-C-A | j 
and be sure you get the genuine. 
Elastica, and that is made by the Standard Var- f 
Send for Book 94 
“How to Finish Floors” —Home Edition. Profusely illustrated, 
rich in suggestions for making and keeping floors beautiful. Also 
ask for a set of exquisitely colored postcards showing handsome 
interiors, which will be sent with our compliments. 
‘STANDARD JARNISH \W/ORKS* 
29 Broadway, New York; 2620 Armour Ave., Chicago, Le 
San Francisco, Cal.; or La 
> Internationul Varnish Co., Ltd., 
>», Toronto, Canada. 
There is only one / 
Address 
Mahogany Inlaid 
Tip Table $5.00 Established 1878 
O. Charles Meyer 
Cabinetmaker and Upholsterer 
Repairs of Every Description 
Antique Furniture Restored 
39 WEST 8th ST., NEW YORK 
ee 
Antique fireside chair, largecomfortable wings 
in tapestry, carved claw legs, $20.00. 
30 inches 
Hand-made 
The Stephenson System 
of Underground Refuse 
Disposal 
Keep your garbage and 
waste out of sight, under ground or below 
fioor in 
Garbage and Refuse Receivers 
Sanitary, odorless, fly-proof, a clean back yard, 
a fireproof disposal of refuse in " 
cellar, factory or garage. 
Underground Earth Closet with port- 
able steel house for contractors, farm 
or camp. 
Nine years on the market. 
to look us up. 
Sold direct. Send for circular. 
C. H. STEPHENSON, Mfr. 
21 Farrar St. Lynn, Mass. 
It pays 
