January 1960

All about African-violets!

The African-violet was discovered in Tanganyika about 70 years ago, which makes it a mere seedling as cultivated plants go. Until the 1930s, the African-violet was a rarity, grown only in conservatories and the greenhouses of a few dedicated gardeners.

Come on over-and they do!

IF YOU have a teen-ager in your family, you are familiar with the potato chip-and pop-strewn pathway, the amazing clutter the high school set can produce. Working on the theory, "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em," the Wynn family prepared their Evanston, Illinois, home for teen-age fun.

Train your dog as the experts do

EVER see a chicken play baseball? Or a goat who could box, or a piano-playing rabbit? Animals have indeed been trained to do these things, as a result of thousands of scientific experiments in applied animal psychology. Today we have a new set of rules for controlling animal behavior.

NEW FACES for old favorites

What do you want in a house?

Luxury vacations at bargain prices

Florida and the Deep South used to be almost empty of tourists in March; now they are staying on in droves through April, and coming back in midsummer. Northern resorts used to close on Labor Day. Now guests stay on for the brilliant fall weather and fall sports-- and come back for winter sports.

More space, more color for your bedroom

A guide to furniture repairs

They made old furniture look young

$500 made all these home improvements

How to get plans

Five Star Home 3001, shown on page 40, is one of a monthly series for which you can buy complete plans with the following features:

Home Planning Center

Look for this Better Homes & Gardens "Home Planning Center" seal when you're looking for ideas to help make your home more comfortable and attractive. It identifies leading stores which feature personal counsel on home planning. decorating, and furnishings.

REFINISHING--it gets easier and easier

Paint and varnish removers now do a better job on old fur niture finishes, are easier on your hands, and are fire-safe. Applied right, they will soften almost any amount of paint.

There's big news in small tables

Push-button garage doors

If you own a garage, one of the heaviest objects you move around every day is the garage door. It's a job, especially in the rain and winter cold. You'll be glad to hear this labor is no longer necessary. You can let electricity do the work while you push a button or operate a switch right inside your car.

THE MAN NEXT DOOR

"A father is afraid all men want to marry his daughter," Ben Projan said. "A mother is afraid they don't."