December, 1910 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



Vll 



American Homes and Gardens 

 for January 



Homes on the Pacific Coast 



Paul Thurston, who is well known to the readers of 

 the magazine, contributes a useful paper on some of 

 the recent dwellings on the Pacific coast. They are 

 houses of interest, too, dwellings that are well worth 

 knowing about. The article is abundantly illustrated 

 with photographic views of the interiors and exteriors, 

 together with the plans from which a comprehensive 

 idea may be obtained of them, by those who are in- 

 terested in the subject. 



Springtime in Winter 



To the gardener, the cold months of the year must 

 always mean a cessation in the active work of plant 

 culture. Any scheme which will enable him to pursue 

 his pastime during the winter will be sure of a wel- 

 come. The new method of bringing the branches of 

 trees and shrubs into flower at this time, is one which 

 promises to make a valuable addition to the resources 

 of indoor gardening. Mr. S. Leonard Bastin tells in 

 a unique and practical way how this may be accom- 

 plished and shows illustrations of the results. 



Decorations and Furnishings for the Home 



In the usual department devoted to suggestive ideas 

 for the decorating and the furnishing of the home, 

 Alice M. Kellogg will take up an unusual theme, in 

 "The Treatment of Old-Fashioned Bedrooms." There 

 are many collectors of antique furniture now-a-days 

 who do not know how to correctly assemble, with 

 their choice pieces, the suitable accompaniments in cur- 

 tains, rugs and furniture coverings. In her depart- 

 ment. Miss Kellogg will give the practical help re- 

 quired to meet this need, and will tell how many of 

 the up-to-date furnishings can be harmoniously united 

 with the old-fashioned furniture. 



Improving the Breed of Goats 



Certain breeds of goats possess special aptitudes for 

 being modified in various directions by intelligent se- 

 lection and judicious crossing. The experiments which 

 have recently been carried out in France by Crepin 

 prove that the caprine species can be greatly improved 

 in this way, and Mr. Jacques Boyer gives the reasons 

 to show how goats may be bred for profit. 



Sprays and Their Application in California 



The fruit growers of the eastern states can secure a 

 very good lesson from California in the plan and 

 scope of its extensive and thorough system of spray- 

 ing trees. Mr. H. A. Crafts has prepared an excel- 

 lent paper on the subject. It is one that is filled 

 with information and should receive consideration 

 from the eastern fruit growers as well as from the 

 owners of the smaller orchards which are to be found 

 in many places. 



An Interesting Application of Swiss Architecture to 

 the American Home 



There is no part where the development of Swiss 

 architecture can be better adapted than in California 

 or along the Pacific coast, where the climatic condi- 

 tions are such that it easily permits of a treatment of 

 the style in question. Mr. Charles A. Byers has pre- 

 pared an excellent paper on the subject, and shows by 



illustration the methods by which it is applied in the 

 designing of a house. The specimen selected is par- 

 ticularly handsome and presents the Swiss chalet well 

 developed in its character and outline. 



The New Cretonnes and Taffetas 



The use of cretonnes in the furnishing of a home has 

 taken a rapid stride during the past year. There is a 

 wealth of fabrics of this kind and the materials are 

 now made in combination with the wall coverings so 

 that the bedspreads and the curtains at the windows 

 may match. Mabel Tuke Priestman has prepared 

 an illustrated paper on this subject and oilers many 

 helpful hints as to how to purchase the fabrics, and 

 their cost. 



The Home of An American Sculptor 



On the ridge of the Palisades in Santo Monica, Cal., 

 rests the home of an American sculptor, Felix Peano. 

 The house is an exceptionally interesting one, and was 

 designed and built by the sculptor. The article pre- 

 pared by Burr Bartram describes it in a competent 

 manner and the many engravings show a striking 

 structure which is most unique in its detail: and exe- 

 cution. 



The Two Hundredth Anniversary of Porcelain 



An interesting paper by Charles A. Brassier on the 

 invention of porcelain by Boettger, forms one of the 

 leading articles in this number. Mr. Brassier tells the 

 story of how Boettger, two centuries ago invented the 

 process of making porcelain. It was in the little town 

 of Meissen, in Saxony, that the inventor instituted an 

 industry that has taken a commanding place among 

 the most important art interests in Europe. The story 

 of this invention, which the anniversary commemor- 

 ates, is of sufficient concern to all ceramists and those 

 interested in the development of the useful arts, 

 to merit the devotion of the space given in these 

 columns. 



Electric Lamp Heating and Cooking Devices 



Mr. Frank C. Perkins writes interestingly of the de- 

 velopment of electricity for use in heating and in cook- 

 ing, and shows by illustrations and drawings a unique 

 electric heating and cooking apparatus which uses 

 incandescent lamps for supplying the necessary heat. 

 This is an excellent article and is one that will be of 

 interest to those who are considering the use of elec- 

 tric appliances for this department of household 

 utilities. 



The Romance of Orchid Hunting 



Twenty-five years ago the orchid was practically un- 

 known in America, except to the botanists and collec- 

 tors, but during the past decade its cultivation in this 

 country has grown into an important industry. Within 

 a few miles of New York there are eight orchid grow- 

 ers who cut from the plants in their greenhouses about 

 three hundred specimens a day to meet the constant 

 demand for this beautiful flower. Mr. P. Harvey 

 Middleton has prepared a very interesting paper on 

 the subject, which is profusely illustrated by many fine 

 specimens. 



