70 
House & Garden 
crm, 
ssas 
ssse 
88BS 
I 
T HE flushing of a 
noisy toilet is 
heard throughout 
the house, arresting con¬ 
versation and creating 
acute embarrassment. 
Constant recurrence of this 
condition leads either to its 
unnecessary toleration or 
its removal and installing 
"of a Silent Si-wel-clo Closet. 
Built upon the most sanitary prin¬ 
ciples, including the finest of 
mechanical parts, the Si-wel-clo 
adds a quietness of operation that 
is a distinct relief. The Si-wel-clo 
is but one item of the complete 
line of the 
Trenton Potteries Company 
“Tepeco” All-Clay Plumbing 
“Tepeco” plumbing is china or 
porcelain, solid and permanent. 
Dirt does not readily cling to its 1 
glistening white surface, nor will 
that surface be worn away by 
scouring. With time, inferior 
materials lose their sanitary value, 
dirt will adhere, the appearance 
become uninviting — the piece 
lose its usefulness. 
The impenetrable surface of 
“Tepeco” All-Clay Plumbing fix¬ 
tures renders them the most hy¬ 
gienic of plumbing products for 
bathroom, kitchen or laundry. 
Medicine, ink or ordinary acid 
stains are readily wiped off. That 
this is not true of all plumbing fix¬ 
tures may be proved by making the 
tests suggested in our instructive 
book “Bathrooms of Character,” a 
copy of which will be sent on 
request. 
The Trenton Potteries Company 
Trenton, New Jersey, U. S.A. 
The world's largest maker of All-Clay Plumbing Fix¬ 
tures places the Star and Circle trade-mark on its ware 
—your guarantee. 
Floors or Flaws in Your Kitchen 
( Continued, from page 68) 
and pleasure, and the kitchen can be in 
lovely accord with the decorations of 
the house. 
“The ordinary dripping will not affect 
linoleum, nor the ordinary moisture. It 
requires no extra mats as foot resters, 
is not a substitute but a flooring, and 
in every way deserves its great popu¬ 
larity. 
The Cork Family 
“Another attractive, useful and popu¬ 
lar flooring is what I call the corks. 
It is made of clean cork shavings com¬ 
pressed in closed steel moulds about an 
inch thick for five hours under high 
pressure and high temperature. All the 
moisture is thus driven out and it is 
pressed together into a waterproof mass. 
No foreign substance is introduced to 
bind it together as this is done by its 
own gums. Inferior cork tile is mixed 
with foreign substances and this often 
makes it break down and detracts from 
the resiliency and wearing power. After 
this process is completed it is cut into 
the desired sizes. 
“Cork tile comes in shades of brown 
and there is an excellent cork compound 
tile that comes in many designs and 
colors. 
“It is not absolutely fireproof but is 
what is called a fire retardent in that 
it takes a flame of 1S00 degrees F. one 
hour to burn a hole in a tile 6" x 6" 
x y 2 ". 
“The cork tile floor of the best make 
will last as long as the building. It is 
of the loveliest coloring, delightful in 
tone, noiseless and soothing to the feet 
and back, warm to the touch and alto¬ 
gether psychologically comforting to the 
nerves. 
“It requires but soap and water and 
elbow grease to keep it in condition 
forever. It is never slippery, is non- 
absorbent of dust and moisture and 
when laid correctly needs no effort nor 
money for its upkeep. This is why the 
initial investment though larger than 
for some other flooring is a wise one, 
as it is positively the ultimate expendi¬ 
ture. 
“There is much inferior cork tile on 
the market and it is very hard to tell 
it from the best quality. It looks at¬ 
tractive until it has been used a little 
while, then it will begin to ‘pit’ and 
‘sap’ (become dark, and emit a pungent 
odor), due to inferior manufacture. 
“Heavy tracking does not affect cork 
tile as it is so elastic that it springs 
back into place. This is proven by the 
restaurants, banks, libraries and hos¬ 
pitals that use it so generously. 
“In laying this, the same general 
things should be observed as in the case 
of linoleum. It is laid over felt, the 
base must be free from moisture, cracks 
and nails. If the cork is put over nail¬ 
able material, small headless sunken 
brads are used. If not, it is pasted on 
the base. All joints are pressed together 
by a special compressing machine, and 
are sealed with a preparation virtually 
making the cork tile into one large 
seamless covering under which no dust, 
moisture, germs or vermin can collect. 
“The velvety quiet of these floors 
imparts a tranquillity to the kitchen, 
contagious to mistress and to maid. 
“I need not say much for the tile as 
you know its beauties. It may be cold 
to the feet, non-resistant and tiring to 
the back and slippery when wet, but 
this is overcome by mats of matting, 
cork or linoleum. Tile is made in every 
design and color to fit any desire or 
design. All corners and joints at the 
base of walls can be curved. It makes 
a unit of the whole room in design and 
intention as no other thing does. It 
can be cleaned out with a small hose. 
Of course, poor tile cracks. 
“Needless to say, it takes real skill 
to lay these floors as the under bed of 
cement has to be very perfect to pro¬ 
tect the tile upon it. However, it looks 
royal, it wears, and is a favorite with 
great kitchen builders. 
Compositions 
“The floorings of composition, ce¬ 
ments and mineral mixtures are in¬ 
numerable. Some are excellent, em¬ 
bodying nearly all the good points 
enumerated in this letter. They are a 
little warmer than tile and not quite so 
expensive. They have probably a little 
more foot comfort but not much more. 
They are fire proof, do not weigh too 
much for a lightly constructed house, 
and are kept clean with the usual elbow 
grease and water. 
“These floors for the most part are 
made in various colors and designs. 
“In tile and composition the joint at 
the base of walls can be made prac¬ 
tically one with the wall in a curving 
connection. In the case of linoleum 
and cork, this joint is either accom¬ 
plished by a curving connection or 
more generally by a highly compressed 
and sealed joint, allowing for absolutely 
no trapping of foreign matter and ren¬ 
dering the floor easily swept and washed. 
“Many great institutions and some 
private homes have found these to be 
practical, so if you observe the Buy the 
Best from the Best rule you cannot go 
wrong. 
“Now, Miss Wentworth, as long as 
you haven’t stopped me I imagine it 
was comprehensible throughout?” 
“I understood it all, if this is all?” 
“Yes, thank goodness, except I hope 
that this will answer your queries and 
that no floor problem can floor you now.” 
An Evening Garden of Fragrance 
(Continued from page 29) 
of the entire summer, and more espe¬ 
cially in the evenings. 
In the partial shade next the house 
is a long row of sweet rockets. These 
old-fashioned flowers look their best in 
large quantities. 
For accents, in the center beds are 
the tall pale pink heads of valerian, or 
garden heliotrope, and the erect spikes, 
likewise pale pink, of physostegia. These 
bloom in midsummer. 
In July, shortly after the madonna 
lilies, come large balanced clumps of 
white Japanese iris. This is an extreme¬ 
ly effective flower and comes at a time 
when the distinctive features of the 
garden are at a minimum. But for the 
fact that they lack fragrance, they are 
every whit as desirable as lilies. 
About this time the warm midsum¬ 
mer nights are upon us. The garden 
is filled with phlox which, next to the 
lilies, makes the chief effect of the flow¬ 
ering year. The colors are white, pale 
lavender and light pink. They com¬ 
mand our interest in the daytime, and at 
night, by the aid of Japanese lanterns 
suspended from the pergola or swaying 
from poles in the garden beds, become 
enchanting. 
The varieties listed are not definitely 
arranged on the plan, but the early 
dwarf Tapis Blanc should be placed 
here and there at the front, and the tall 
Pink Beauty and Stella’s Choice in the 
center of the spaces designated. The 
medium sized varieties may fill out the 
remainder of the vacant spaces. At 
least eight or ten of each variety should 
(Continued on page 72) 
