April, 1914 
AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 
XI 
AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS FOR MAY 
T he May issue of American Humes and C-aroens 
will be the Annual Small House Number of the mag- 
azine. It has been the custom of this periodical to devote 
special attention to the subject of small houses m the May 
issue of every year and the Small House Numbei foi 19^4 
will continue the high standard set for the selection of 
houses of this type to present to the consideration ot the 
magazine readers. Not only will the small houses be il- 
lustrated by fine photographic reproductions, but the Horn 
plans of the houses shown will also accompany the text. 
Mr. Henry Wild, whose horticultural writings in Amerkwn 
Homes and Gardens have won widespread attention, will 
contribute a comprehensive article on the subject of Glad- 
ioli and their Culture, which article will be beautifully 
illustrated with five half-tone reproductions from photo- 
graphs specially taken for this magazine. Mr. Wilfred 
Carew contributes a finely Illustrated article on the subject 
of Lighting the Small House, a subject which has not here- 
tofore received all the attention it has deserved from the 
builder of the small house. A group of hollow tile and 
stucco buildings will be illustrated and described in an article 
which will be accompanied by Hoor plans. The group ot 
buildings in question is constituted by a number of cottages 
on the estate of Mr. Jacob Schih at Red Bank, N. J. t 
is expected that the Juror of Awards in the American 
Homes and Gardens “Small House Contest” will have 
completed the examination of the plans and sketches sub- 
mitted in time for an announcement of the awards and in- 
clusion of the successful house in this May issue. 1 he 
Collectors' Department for May will be of unusual interest, 
including as it will an article by Miss Helen \Vethrell on 
the noted Indian beadwork collection of Mr. S. S. Cunning- 
ham of East Hampton, Long Island. I his is the finest col- 
lection of Indian beadwork in America and will be fully 
Illustrated by half-tone reproductions Lorn photographs. 
Old Corner Cupboards of Colonial 1 imes will be illus- 
trated and described by Miss Mary H. Northend, who has 
contributed some of the most important articles that have 
appeared in recent numbers of American Homes and 
Gardens. The usual departments of “Within the House, 
"Around the Garden” and “Helps to the Housewife will 
be supplemented by numerous other articles. Altogether 
the May issue of American Homes and Gardens will be 
one of the handsomest Small House Numbers which have 
been published. 
COUNTRY PLANNING 
T O say that town planning is a country need sounds like 
a paradox, but anyone who has seen a country village 
absorbed by a neighboring town, or watched a village grow 
into a town without any thought having been taken for its 
future development, knows the chaos that ensues. 1 he 
time has come when some initial planning is just as neces- 
sary in the country as in the town. Suppose those in the 
country happen to have their homes near a viUage con- 
taining beautiful winding lanes. As soon as the village 
fathers become aware that their land has an interest for 
purchasers, they begin to cut up those picturesque lanes 
into rectangular streets, and all the topographical interest 
is lost. I’o conser\e the best, to guard against possible 
losses in lesthetic value, and to see one’s home village not 
only as it is to-day, but as it will be ten years hence, is tlic 
ideal of town planning in the country. It is this sort of 
looking ahead and making prov ision for future growth that 
will make the village of to-morrow a beautilul thing and 
conserve the village of the past for its historic value. Good 
roads and streets well laid out, trees not only planted but 
cared for after they are planted, parking space allowed for 
on the wide thoroughfares and ground laid aside for play- 
ground and village sports — all these things are necessary 
even where the summer resident provides himself with acres 
for tennis courts aiul golf links. loo often the countiy 
village that is surrounded by miles of farm land has not 
enough land at its centre for a ball field for its young men 
or a playground for the chiKlren. Collective [ilanning, collec- 
tive effort, are needed everywliere in this country. C h.wiges 
in America have come so rapidly, especially in the envlions 
of the large cities and towns, that future planning should 
be done with a generous eye, and in the llglit of past ex- 
perience in older localities. 
BIRDS AND RAILWAY ACCIDENTS 
A propos the editorial, “Machines and Human Be- 
ings,” in which was quoted the report of the Inter- 
state Commerce Commission to the eff ect that the majority 
of train accidents for the past decade were traceable to 
human error, a reader has sent us the following interesting 
note: While waiting at a wayside station the other day, 
says a traveler contributor to haslcrti Enijineeriny, I ob- 
served some pigeons sitting on a wire leading from a signal 
cabin to a line of telegraph poles. When the birds Hew 
away together, the upward bound which they gave at the 
commencement of their Hight caused the wire on which they 
had been sitting to swing into contact with some ot the 
telegraph lines. I was curious to know what effect in the 
signal cabin would be caused thereby. On inquiring I found 
that a stray current had entered the apparatus theie and 
that a false indication had been produced, giving the signal- 
man authority to send a second train into a section which 
was already occupied. Pursuing my inquiries, I was aston- 
ished to learn that many railway instruments are liable to 
similar interference. 
APPLE WASTE 
M innesota is taking a step in the right direction in 
connection with an investigation which is being made 
to determine the amount of apple waste within the State. 
A large number of apples are grown in Minnesota, although 
it has not been looked upon as an apple State, and it has 
been found that the product during the last two years has 
not been utilized, a large estimate waste accruing. Investi- 
gators will attempt to determine the percentage of waste 
through failure to utilize the by-products and to hnd a 
paying market for them. The Information will form the 
baL of a bulletin that will be watched for with interest m 
connection with the subject of conservation m general. 
