FORCING FRUITS FOR MARKET IN FRANCE 
T is hard to realize that the ancient Romans were 
familiar with the art of forcing vegetables and fruits 
so as to be able to tickle their epicurean palates with 
cucumbers, strawberries, etc., at seasons very far from the 
normal one for such delicacies. The refinement of the art 
and its development into one of great commercial value has 
been consummated in the last quarter of a century. Mr. 
Jacques Boyer in a most graphic article tells of what is being 
done in this respect in France, as well as how it is done. 
Numerous illustrations indicate what fascinating employ¬ 
ment it affords to both men and women. 
THE QUEST AND CULTURE OF ORCHIDS 
G. Bertrand Mitchell presents a very interesting paper, 
which will be published in two parts, dealing with the care, 
growing, seeding and hybridization of these aristocrats of 
plant life. There is also included in the first part an 
account of the hardships and experiences of several daring 
collectors who, at the risk of life and limb have been and 
now are exploring the jungles and mountains of Central and 
South America, searching for new or rare specimens, or 
replenishing the stock of the staple varieties. 
HOW TO MAKE AND CARE FOR HOTBEDS 
No adjunct of the garden gives such quick or so satis¬ 
factory results when the small expenditure of effort and 
money is considered, as the “Hotbed.” Ida D. Bennett 
under the caption above, presents details for the construc¬ 
tion of several forms of them. Further, she outlines the 
best methods of planting seed and care of the growing plants 
until ready for transplanting to the open ground. The use 
of the hotbed advances the season of the garden by at least 
six weeks, a consideration well worth the effort required. 
SMALL HOUSES WHICH ARE GOOD 
Two houses are presented under this caption—one from 
the boards of E. S. Child and the other from E. G. W. Die¬ 
trich. The two houses while showing some similarity of gen¬ 
eral style are quite different in plan, in size and in cost. 
The necessary conveniences are embraced in each accord¬ 
ing to its needs and cost. The artistic features of the ex¬ 
teriors are apparent while the floor plans indicate the possi¬ 
bility of most beautiful and effective interior decoration. 
AN INTERESTING SET OF ALEXANDER TAPESTRIES 
In the fall issues our readers enjoyed two articles entitled 
“What are Tapestries” by Mr. George Leland Hunter. In 
the March number he will describe a set of tapestries de¬ 
picting scenes in the life of Alexander the Great, purchased 
forty years ago by the late William Cowper Prime, Vice- 
President of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. These 
tapestries date from the early part of the sixteenth century, 
bearing the monogram of Peter Van Aelst, the Flemish 
weaver, who wove the famous tapestries designed by Ra¬ 
phael for Pope Leo X. They are associated with Francis the 
First by the salamander that appears in the upper border. 
Furthermore—but we will leave the rest of the fascinating 
story to Mr. Hunter and to the illustrations, that are superb. 
SOME LONG ISLAND COUNTRY ESTATES 
There is a section of Long Island in the vicinity of Roslyn, 
Westbury and Wheatley Hills, where numerous very large 
estates are located of which the general public has no ac¬ 
quaintance, except that gained by glimpses of their extreme 
reaches which border the highways. Several of these estates 
will be described by Mr. Richard Schermerhorn, Jr., and 
photographs will be presented depicting certain features of 
them. 
A PLEA FOR THE HERB GARDEN 
The implicit belief placed in the virtues of herbs, by our 
British forebears, and extolled by them in prose and verse, 
is written of by Lawrence Irwell. The particular qualities of 
each is set forth and a plea made for their more universal 
cultivation in the gardens of our homes. 
SMALL SUBURBAN PROPERTIES 
Under this caption Mr. j. Donald Martin makes what 
he terms “ a plea for another style of gardening. ” He advo¬ 
cates the division of a property of this character into a num¬ 
ber of semi-enclosed sections, through the use of hedges of 
varying heights. Each enclosure will be treated differently 
of course, and have some governing feature which will suggest 
the planning and planting of it. This gives to the garden 
pleasant surprises, delightful and unexpected vistas, etc., 
just as in the rooms of a house, varying gradations of color 
or of treatment in decoration are given producing harmoni¬ 
zing effects in the general decorative scheme. 
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