August, 1913 
HOUSE AND GARDEN 
95 
casion. It may be re¬ 
marked, however, that en¬ 
tire privacy may be se¬ 
cured without putting the 
slats so close together as 
is often supposed to be 
necessary. Leaving them 
as far apart as possible 
makes for a better circula¬ 
tion of air, hence adds to 
the comfort of the porch. 
A porch railing is often 
architecturally pleas- ' 
ing and useful, but if the 
porch is to be used for a 
conservatory or sun-room 
in winter, it is much easier 
to manage if there is a 
solid wall up to the height 
of an ordinary railing. 
When there is no such 
wall there must be sec¬ 
tions of solid boarding 
and sills that can be 
screwed in place on the approach of cold weather. The sashes 
will be fitted in above this, making the whole porch weather-proof. 
Sashes should not be too large — not over five or six feet by 
two and a half or three. It is better to have a number of small 
ones than a few that are too large to handle conveniently when 
putting them up and taking them down. A large, heavy sash, 
too, is apt to sag on its hinges, and when being opened or shut its 
sweep takes up too much room. Sashes are ordinarily hung so 
as to open vertically like casement windows. They can, however, 
be hinged and hung to open horizontally, and in this way the 
whole space between pillars can be opened to the air. This 
arrangement is particularly useful where the sashes are left in 
place the year round. 
Sleeping-porches ought to be equipped with canvas curtains 
that can either be laced or hooked through eyelets at the edge to 
hang wherever they are needed to keep off beating snow or rain. 
Balustered balconies atop of porches 
may have the floor covered with heavy 
canvas, such as is frequently used on 
the upper decks of river steamers. This 
canvas must be well painted and the 
floor given enough slant to insure 
proper drainage. If the porch has a tin 
roof, slat platforms made of scantlings 
an inch thick, resting on blocks, make 
a good flooring. The deck canvas floor 
will be pleasanter to use. 
Specific allusions to cost of material 
and construction have been purposely 
kept out of this article, as prices vary 
so widely in different localities, and if 
any figures were given they would be 
sure to be misleading in many instances 
for that reason. 
Turning now to porch furniture, re¬ 
member that this should, above all 
things, be simple. So soon as the porch 
is overloaded it becomes stuffy and 
loses all its outdoor freedom. Porch 
furniture should be light in weight be¬ 
cause it is being, and has to be, moved 
about so constantly. Wicker ware, rat¬ 
tan and strongly made but light wooden 
things are especially de¬ 
sirable. This does not 
apply to certain stationary 
pieces of furniture such 
as built-in settles or tables 
that are expected to be 
kept in one place. A set¬ 
tle built on the porch is 
most useful. 
There ought to be noth¬ 
ing about the porch ap¬ 
pointments that cannot 
stand some exposure to 
sun and rain and damp¬ 
ness. For this reason it 
is sometimes perplexing 
to know what to do about 
pillows, cushions and 
chair seats, but there is a 
very acceptable water¬ 
proof fabric out of which 
covers can be made. To 
make a porch thoroughly 
comfortable there ought 
to be a Gloucester swing settee. Steamer chairs, mandarin 
chairs in rattan, and Windsors, both side and arm, are all appro¬ 
priate for porch use. Nearly everything that one could wish in 
the way of porch appointments can be had in wicker ware, from 
easy chairs and couches to tea-tables and tea-wagons. 
Grass and straw mattings or Navajo blankets make the most 
desirable floor coverings. If the house has electric attachments 
it is well to make some provision for both movable and fixed 
lights on the porch. It will be found a great comfort and con¬ 
venience to have them, but at the same time it would be advisable 
to put up screens to keep away beetles and all insects that a light 
at night always attracts. Unless there is heavy shade around 
the porch there will be times when awnings or screens of some 
sort are needed. There is much to be said in favor of split 
bamboo screens, as they can be rolled up tight when not in use and 
are quite out of the way. They are cool and pleasant-looking, too. 
The loggia type of porch may sometimes be used as in this interesting two-tiered example where 
the porches run the length of the house 
One way of admitting plenty of light and air to the wide porch is to have part 
of the roof open save for the girders over which vines grow 
