January 1950

Little tables that hold a lot

You may have a refund coming

Do you know that when you pay off your FHA mortgage (unless it was procured under the war housing program) you have a good chance of getting a substantial refund?

HAVE YOU HEARD?

If you like dwarf plants, a new discovery by the U. S. Department of Agriculture may turn out to be just what you're looking for. Scientists treated bean seedlings with compounds of the chemical nicotium, and found that it shortened the internodes or sections of stems between leaves, reducing final height of the plant. It isn't known yet how permanent the effect is. If it turns out to be only temporary, you might use it to spray seedlings to make them less tall and spindly.

Building costs steady at present levels

Building costs are going to remain stable at present levels for at least the year ahead. That is the considered opinion of expert observers from all of the 48 states.

When badness is really good

Last Thursday was a typical day for young Jimmy Brown. He snapped three rubber bands at his teacher, refused to answer when he was called on, and snickered when anyone else got up to recite. That afternoon, he talked back to Mrs. Brown when she asked him to run an errand. That night he argued with his father about doing his homework.

ARE YOU DRIVING A MODEL-T MIND?

A master mechanic in an Eastern factory town, the mother of three girls in a Midwestern village, and a carefree ex-G.I. in a busy West Coast city reached the same conclusion a few months ago: They were dissatisfied with their lives.

Start right--with color

Don't let anyone tell you that you can't do your own decorating. You can-- and you'll have lots of fun doing it. You'll be off to a flying start when you read this new decorating series. Here are your basic color rules.

Pick the right roses

When you say rose, the chances are that what you want is a hybrid tea rose. It's a hybrid tea you're thinking of if you want to grow roses with pointed buds, handsome high-centered blooms that come singly to several on long stems from bushes that grow two to six feet high. It's hybrid teas that the florists grow.

Your answer to five home problems

Architect Rible's home is part of the ground on which it stands. Its cedar shakes blend with surrounding trees, and the yellow- green of overhangs and door harmonizes with their leaves.

How to keep from dying sooner than you have to

It's not pleasant to talk about your death or of your becoming a chronic invalid. Yet it's time for plain talk. Chances are that when you die it will be from one of the diseases (other than arthritis) on this page.

A home of beauty--and convenience

Garden newcomers you'll prize

It's the new colors, sizes, and shapes you'll find exciting when you give the 1950 introductions a place in your own plantings. Performance, too. You'll find they have what auto manufacturers call "built-in" sturdiness.

Remodel your home the easy way

YOU can hook a rug

Give your kitchen a lift

Does your kitchen make you feel it's grand to be alive? Or is it a room you never notice any more?

Bargain meals from your pressure saucepan

When it's economy you're after, remember your pressure saucepan. There's no doubt that it's thrifty-- it cooks inexpensive meat cuts to perfection, saves time, saves fuel.

Can today's mothers nurse their babies?

Lately, there's been a rising tide of advice from doctors and other authorities favoring the "natural way" in infant care. (Remember "Is Your Wife Too Civilized?" in Better Homes & Gardens last November?) And doctors stress breast feeding as an important part of this natural care.

Old farmhouse goes to town

There was good material in the 75-year-old farmhouse that Mr. and Mrs. Henry L. Thomas bought in Clear Lake, Iowa. Built of stone dug from a rocky island in the lake and of timbers felled nearby, it was the product of a period when houses were constructed to last a long, long time.

Your dog and mine

First, buy a muzzle that fits. Any dog will fight an ill-fitting muzzle because it's uncomfortable or painful. Cheap muzzles often have sharp projections such as points of wire or poorly clamped rivets. But any dog will learn to wear a comfortable muzzle if you start him early enough with it.

JANUARY GARDEN GUIDE

Plant annual flower seeds in Florida from Miami on south; but plant hardy and half-hardy annuals in the rest of Florida up the Atlantic Coast to Charleston and along the Gulf Coast. Plant hardy annuals in Middle South but wait until next month for planting in Upper South.

The diary of a plain dirt gardener

Where did it all go to?" asked Maggie in a somewhat acid tone, as I came to the living room after a session with the family account book. My report was that gross income last year from divers sources was somewhat higher than the year before.

Have beautiful plants at low cost

Pacific Northwest

In this region roses are easily grown, and winter hardiness and sun fading are not problems. Selections are based chiefly on the shape, color, and appeal of the flowers, and the foliage and general growing habit of the plants. In all cases, roses should be located well away from trees and shrubs so they'll get hours of full sun.

How to arrange lemon branches

Your medicine cabinet "manned and ready"?

Have you checked your medicine cabinet lately? You may find, when you do, that even a minor household first-aid emergency can't be met with the equipment at hand. The good luck that may have let you leave bandages and medicines untouched for months may mean your stock will be too low or too old when you really need it.

THE MAN NEXT DOOR

On days like these, I'd like to join the kids sledding in front of the house, but I'm afraid to try a running belly-flop, and ashamed to lie down first and ask for a push.