April 1974

Middlemen: do they add too much to your grocery bill?

Our food processing and delivery system is admittedly the most streamlined anywhere in the world. We enjoy more food, more choices, and more nutrition for a smaller share of our income than do any other people. Food manufacturing and marketing are among our most efficient industries. ...

What are your rights as a patient?

During a school health examination, a heart murmur is detected in a seven-year-old boy and reported to his mother. When she asks the family doctor about it, he merely waves aside her concern and puts her off by saying, "Don't worry about it."

HOUSEPLANT HOW-TO

The sensitive plant (Mimosa pudica) is usually classified as a plant for children, but adults also find it entertaining. Everyone marvels at how the leaflets close up when touched with a pencil or finger.

Consumer complaints: what to do if you don't get action

We've all had to complain at one time or another about a faulty new appliance, an inadequate "repair" job, or a fouled-up bill that was spewed out by the computer. But what to do when you don't get a response to your complaint?

Racking your luggage

Today's popular small cars, though easy on fuel consumption, can't match the luggage storing capacity of older, larger models. Even the standard-size cars now in dealers' showrooms are skimpier than their predecessors when it comes to luggage space.

Six ways to help your child learn more

Recently, two important studies proclaimed the remarkable idea that schools themselves have very little influence on how successful youngsters are at school.

Camper travel.. don't count it out yet!

The fuel crunch may have altered your plans for this year's camping vacation somewhat, but if those plans included using a recreational vehicle, don't count it out yet. By carefully selecting the unit you rent or buy, and then choosing a good recreational destination, you can keep fuel consumption within reasonable bounds.

WHAT'S THE BEST PLACE FOR YOUR SAVINGS

A savings account has always been considered a safe investment, but until recent years that was its only advantage. Depositors in the 1930s had to be satisfied with annual interest as low as ½ percent, and in 1960, three or 3½ percent was about as much as you could expect. Today, savings interest rates stand at all-time highs: five percent is common, and yields running as high as 7½ percent and even more are available through special long-term arrangements.

SIX WAYS TO MAKE YOUR HOUSE MORE LIVABLE

If your floor plan no longer copes with family pressures, and you're considering buying or building another house to solve the problem, take another look at your current house before making the big move.

RECYCLING A THRIFTY NEW CRAFT FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

Think positive! When grocery bags, bread wrappers and old neckties pile up at your house, consider them as raw materials for all sorts of crafts. It's surprising how a clutter of ordinary throwaways and giveaways can be converted into useful and exciting craft designs. Nearly all the projects we show are quick and easy to make and require little investment in new materials.

GOOD NEWS

What's new about wooden barrels? Nothing, except now they're avail able and at very reasonable prices. Some are new, some are used, but all are useful as either containers or as the starting point for some really interesting projects.

GARDENING IN APRIL

If you're like most gardeners, any excuse will take you outside when the daffodils bloom; pleasure and work intermingle happily in April. But since this is a key planting month, it pays to channel your enthusiasm into action.

WHAT IF YOU'RE NAMED EXECUTOR OF AN ESTATE?

make your decision. First of all, you should understand that just because a will names you executor (or executrix), you are not obligated to accept the appointment. You may decline. However, you should get the advice of a lawyer before you

DECORATING: BG EFFECTS FROM SMALL CHANGES

Are you putting up with the same old surroundings because you can't see your way clear to a sweeping change? Then think small. Quite often it's the smallest changes that make the biggest difference in the look of a room. Just a dab of something different might be all that's needed. And if you can't figure out just what that "something" should be, here are six pages of suggestions. You're sure to find several that strike home.

tables: big effects from small changes

Everybody gets bored from time to time with their jobs, their surroundings ... and their table settings. But smashing the crystal goblets in the fireplace in one exuberant devil-may-care gesture isn't a sensible answer-- unless, of course, your Aunt Minnie left you a neat little nest egg earmarked for table settings.

UNDEMANDING TREES AND SHRUBS

Take-it-easy gardening. That's the way to go if you want to cut a corner on care-- and who doesn't? Even the most avid gardeners pick a framework of low-care plants first, then add specialties that need pampering. Why not build your framework around undemanding trees and shrubs-- species that require a minimum of fussing?

The complete vegetable garden--in your own backyard

If your budget is eroded by rising food prices, the best place to reclaim lost ground is your backyard. A small, productive vegetable garden may not be a cost cure-all, but it will help cut your outlay for fresh produce.

Spring Sewing

Short and sweet centerpieces

Pattern back views

Homemade our cream

Florida After Mickey Mouse what?

Granted, the dream world of Walt Disney is reason enough to visit Florida (see BH&G, April 1972). But all too many vacationers never get beyond the Magic Kingdom, and that's a mistake; they're missing some of the finest country and most appealing activities the state has to offer. We've singled out three areas that encompass dozens of attractions worth seeing:

How much to house a horse?

Once, owning a horse was a privilege largely limited to the rural and the rich. It's a different story today. More and more people are finding it financially feasible to keep a horse.

How to pick stereo headphones

If you're wondering why serious hi-fi listeners buy headphones-- and use them incessantly-- test a pair at your local sound shop. The instant you put them over your ears, you'll find yourself almost overcome by the concert-hall world they create.

Adding an outdoor outlet

Power to the patio-- or anywhere you need it outdoors-- is easy to get. Just tap into your home's electrical system at a junction box.

An unconventional kitchen remodeling

This was a classic old kitchen-- charming, but in noticeably poor repair. The assets were salvaged and the defects minimized with the personal style and designer talents of the homeowner.

Better Homes Shopping editor's choice

Discover the ease and pleasure of shopping by mail. Order from the convenience of your own home with complete confidence. If not delighted, each company will happily refund your money.

The man next door

Dr. Bob Hannegan says the medical profession has come a long way from the days when doctors were ridiculed for pushing pills. Now he spends half his time trying to persuade his patients not to take so many.