HOUSE AND GARDEN 
January, 
DU 
With the improvement of commutation 
service and the advent of the motor, beau¬ 
tiful homes are being built in constantly 
widening circles with the large cities as 
centers. This character of work is en¬ 
larging and developing the field of the 
architect and the many types of archi¬ 
tecture. It has also produced builders of 
merit who confine themselves exclusively 
to the erecting of country estates. Many 
of these builders are located outside of 
the large cities and are in the best posi¬ 
tion to realize and handle the difficult and 
varied problems peculiar to country work. 
These problems include, in addition to 
the house, the garage, stables and dairy 
barns; the grading and roads and the 
lighting, water and sewage disposal sys¬ 
tems. 
After the builder has been selected the 
owner should realize that the responsi¬ 
bility for the completed house has been 
definitely fixed and that it is the builder 
who is to make a reality out of a dream. 
A word might be said here regarding 
plans and specifications furnished by 
architects. These should not be loosely 
and carelessly drawn, nor should they be 
filled with technicalities and permit only 
of narrow or limited interpretation. In 
the first case, an unscrupulous builder is 
sure to take advantage of the owner. In 
the second case, a careful builder, and the 
very kind that should be desired, will esti¬ 
mate higher than he would for the same 
character of work under proper specifica¬ 
tions. An inexperienced estimator and 
builder is sure to get into trouble and 
cause the owner delay and expense that 
no time penalty or bonding company will 
ever fully repay. 
Some architects, even with the best in¬ 
tentions, so word their specifications as 
to oblige the builder to purchase the ma¬ 
terial or work of certain manufacturers. 
Under these limitations the sub-contractor 
takes advantage, in his quotation, of the 
builder, and increases the cost to the 
owner. The reliable contractor, who 
must stand back of his work for a year 
or more after completion, hesitates to as¬ 
sume the responsibility for the material 
or workmanship, in the selection of which 
he has no choice. 
The builder’s lot is not an easy one; 
his work requiring the services of arti¬ 
sans and mechanics of many trades, and 
his materials he must procure from all 
parts of the country, relying in many 
cases on promises of delivery and quality 
beyond his control. His work is all done 
in the open, subject to interruptions and 
delays due to climatic conditions. Each 
house he builds is different from the last, 
presenting new problems often unforeseen 
until after the actual work is started. 
The owner and architect should fre¬ 
quently visit the building as the work 
progresses and confer with the builder, 
assisting him in settling the many ques¬ 
tions that are sure to arise. The owner 
will find on these visits that many things 
about the house will look different from 
The Two Expositions in California 
— The Pan-California Exposition in San Diego, now open, and the great Inter¬ 
national Exposition in San Francisco, which opens February 20 — are described 
in a masterly way, in current issues of 
The Takes 
Magazine 1 fpl V/j0l you 
that | there 
Whether or not you intend visiting the Coast this year you should not miss these 
authoritative articles and beautiful pictures. They will give you a thrill of pride 
as an American that our own country is thus engaged while so many other nations 
are devastated by war. These are only two of the special features in TRAVEL. 
Will You Join Our Winter Tour? 
The coming months promise some unusually interesting trips. There will be timely 
visits to the theater of war, and equally timely jaunts in our own land. This year 
TRAVEL is all the more a necessity, now that so many lanes of foreign communi¬ 
cation are closed. With this sparkling magazine on your table you are still a 
citizen of the world. 
The December TRAVEL Free 
The December number contains an 
authoritative account of the San Fran¬ 
cisco Exposition by Hamilton Wright, 
Director of Publicity, and many ex¬ 
clusive pictures. While our supply 
lasts we will be glad to send it free 
to readers who take advantage of the 
six months’ offer opposite. 
Pin a Dollar Bill to This 
SPECIAL TRIP TICKET 
Return this ticket to the publishers with $1 and you will get 
SIX numbers of TRAVEL beginning with the beautiful Jan¬ 
uary number, and in addition a copy of the December num¬ 
ber, containing the San Francisco article. 
McBRIDE, NAST 6 CO., 31 East 17th St., New York City 
NAME ... 
ADDRESS . (H) 
Statement of the Ownership, Management, Etc. 
of HOUSE & GARDEN, published monthly at New York, N. Y., required by the Act of August 24, 1912. 
Editor, none. 
The Managing Editor is Richardson Wright; Post-office Address, 31 East 17th St., New York. 
Business Managers, none. 
Publisher: McBride, Nast & Company; Post-office Address, 31 East 17th St., New York. 
Owners: McBride, Nast & Company, a corporation. 
Names and addresses of stockholders holding one per cent, or more of total amount of stock: 
Robert M. McBride, 31 East 17th St., New York. 
Conde Nast, 449 Fourth Avenue, New York. 
Known bondholders, mortgagees, and other security holders, holding one per cent, or more of total amount of bonds 
mortgages, or other securities: 
Harris-Dibble Company, 71 West 23rd St., New York. 
Architectural Publishing Company, Philadelphia, Pa. 
This statement is signed by Richardson Wright, managing editor, for McBride, Nast & Co. 
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 14th day of Sept. 1914. John T. Epsroad, 
Notary Public, 
Commission expires March 30, 1915. 
In writing to advertisers please mention House & Garden. 
