﻿November, 
  1907 
  

  

  AMERICAN 
  HOMES 
  AND 
  GARDENS 
  

  

  433 
  

  

  change 
  (Fig. 
  9). 
  The 
  position 
  of 
  the 
  tiny 
  plant 
  is 
  to 
  be 
  

   made 
  yet 
  more 
  secure 
  by 
  the 
  production 
  of 
  a 
  second 
  pair 
  of 
  

   adventitious 
  roots. 
  The 
  sheaths 
  make 
  their 
  appearance, 
  the 
  

   root 
  tips 
  emerge 
  therefrom 
  and 
  commence 
  their 
  journey 
  

   downward, 
  carrying 
  with 
  them 
  the 
  same 
  responsibilities 
  and 
  

   vested 
  with 
  the 
  same 
  powers 
  that 
  we 
  have 
  seen 
  manifested 
  

   by 
  the 
  three 
  existing 
  roots. 
  Our 
  baby 
  plant 
  now 
  possesses 
  a 
  

   root 
  system 
  comprising 
  no 
  less 
  than 
  five 
  vigorous 
  units, 
  each 
  

   endowed 
  with 
  individual 
  powers 
  of 
  selection, 
  but 
  all 
  labor- 
  

   ing 
  for 
  the 
  benefit 
  of 
  the 
  one 
  organism. 
  

  

  It 
  is 
  now 
  — 
  when 
  the 
  second 
  pair 
  of 
  adventitious 
  roots 
  are 
  

   well 
  advanced 
  (Fig. 
  10) 
  — 
  that 
  the 
  baby 
  plant 
  gains 
  confi- 
  

   dence 
  to 
  commence 
  the 
  unfolding 
  of 
  its 
  first 
  leaf 
  (Figs. 
  10 
  

   and 
  11). 
  The 
  tip 
  of 
  the 
  plumule 
  (which 
  has 
  now 
  risen 
  high 
  

   into 
  the 
  sunlit 
  air) 
  splits 
  open, 
  and 
  the 
  young 
  leaf, 
  deli- 
  

   cate 
  and 
  beautiful 
  as 
  a 
  fairy 
  thing', 
  begins 
  to 
  emerge. 
  Hour 
  

   by 
  hour 
  it 
  reaches 
  upward 
  to 
  the 
  light; 
  hour 
  by 
  hour 
  the 
  

   faithful 
  root 
  tips 
  burrow, 
  like 
  moles 
  or 
  miners, 
  into 
  the 
  dark, 
  

   cold 
  soil. 
  Finally, 
  there 
  comes 
  a 
  quaint 
  touch 
  of 
  nature 
  

   which 
  seems 
  to 
  link 
  the 
  baby 
  plant 
  in 
  some 
  mysterious 
  way 
  

   with 
  the 
  world 
  of 
  human 
  thought 
  and 
  feeling. 
  The 
  first 
  

   leaf 
  has 
  almost 
  emerged 
  from 
  the 
  plumule, 
  but 
  it 
  is 
  not 
  yet 
  

   perfectly 
  expanded 
  (Figs. 
  11 
  and 
  12). 
  Is 
  the 
  infant 
  organ- 
  

   ism 
  hesitating? 
  Does 
  it 
  mistrust 
  its 
  own 
  powers? 
  

  

  Something 
  of 
  the 
  kind 
  would 
  appear 
  to 
  be 
  taking 
  place, 
  

   for 
  as 
  the 
  leaf 
  commences 
  to 
  expand 
  a 
  sixth 
  root 
  sheath 
  is 
  

   hastily 
  formed 
  at 
  the 
  base 
  of 
  the 
  plumule, 
  and 
  a 
  sixth 
  adven- 
  

   titious 
  root 
  passes 
  into 
  the 
  soil 
  to 
  augment 
  the 
  labors 
  of 
  its 
  

   five 
  older 
  brethren 
  (Fig. 
  12). 
  Thus, 
  with 
  the 
  perfect 
  

   expansion 
  of 
  the 
  first 
  green 
  leaf, 
  and 
  the 
  production 
  of 
  

   the 
  sixth 
  root, 
  the 
  birth 
  of 
  the 
  wheat 
  becomes 
  an 
  accom- 
  

   plished 
  fact. 
  

  

  Did 
  space 
  permit, 
  it 
  would 
  be 
  possible 
  to 
  trace 
  the 
  history 
  

   of 
  the 
  wheat 
  from 
  its 
  birth 
  to 
  its 
  fruitful 
  maturity. 
  The 
  

   first 
  tiny 
  leaf 
  is 
  already 
  engaged 
  upon 
  that 
  most 
  marvelous 
  

   of 
  all 
  labors 
  — 
  the 
  formation 
  of 
  living 
  materials 
  from 
  the 
  in- 
  

   animate 
  elements 
  of 
  the 
  earth 
  and 
  air. 
  From 
  its 
  initial 
  effort 
  

  

  the 
  plant 
  will 
  go 
  from 
  strength 
  to 
  strength. 
  Many 
  leaves 
  

   will 
  be 
  produced, 
  to 
  be 
  crowned 
  in 
  due 
  course 
  by 
  the 
  flower- 
  

   head 
  which, 
  in 
  its 
  turn, 
  will 
  change 
  to 
  the 
  full 
  corn 
  in 
  the 
  

   ear 
  — 
  the 
  manifold 
  increase 
  of 
  the 
  solitary 
  grain. 
  The 
  baby 
  

   root 
  system, 
  too, 
  will 
  undergo 
  extensive 
  elaboration, 
  while 
  

   the 
  leading 
  root 
  tips 
  will 
  penetrate 
  deeply 
  — 
  perhaps 
  six 
  feet 
  

   — 
  into 
  the 
  soil 
  in 
  their 
  ardent 
  search 
  after 
  moisture. 
  But 
  a 
  

   bulky 
  volume 
  would 
  scarcely 
  afford 
  too 
  much 
  space 
  to 
  deal 
  

   adequately 
  with 
  a 
  subject 
  of 
  such 
  profound 
  interest. 
  

  

  In 
  tracing 
  the 
  various 
  stages 
  which 
  mark 
  the 
  progress 
  of 
  

   the 
  birth 
  of 
  the 
  wheat, 
  the 
  infinite 
  adaptability 
  to 
  circum- 
  

   stances 
  possessed 
  from 
  the 
  very 
  outset 
  by 
  the 
  developing 
  

   organism 
  has, 
  perforce, 
  been 
  kept 
  somewhat 
  in 
  the 
  back- 
  

   ground. 
  It 
  has 
  seemed 
  desirable 
  to 
  picture, 
  as 
  far 
  as 
  pos- 
  

   sible, 
  a 
  grain 
  of 
  wheat 
  germinating 
  under 
  ideal 
  conditions, 
  

   in 
  order 
  that 
  the 
  laws 
  governing 
  the 
  process 
  may 
  be 
  clearly 
  

   understood. 
  But 
  this 
  impression 
  of 
  straightforward 
  growth 
  

   must 
  now 
  be 
  dispelled 
  from 
  the 
  mind, 
  for 
  it 
  is 
  not, 
  in 
  point 
  

   of 
  fact, 
  correct. 
  A 
  grain 
  of 
  wheat, 
  thrown 
  upon 
  the 
  bare 
  

   furrow 
  of 
  the 
  open 
  field, 
  and 
  washed 
  into 
  the 
  soil 
  by 
  the 
  rain, 
  

   is 
  surrounded 
  by 
  innumerable 
  particles 
  varying 
  in 
  size 
  from 
  

   sand 
  grains 
  to 
  large 
  stones. 
  Among 
  and 
  around 
  these 
  the 
  

   root 
  tips 
  and 
  the 
  plumule 
  must 
  find 
  their 
  way, 
  no 
  matter 
  how 
  

   tortuous 
  that 
  way 
  may 
  be. 
  Moreover, 
  it 
  is 
  exceedingly 
  un- 
  

   likely 
  that 
  the 
  grain 
  will 
  fall 
  exactly 
  in 
  the 
  position 
  requisite 
  

   for 
  straightforward 
  growth; 
  so 
  that 
  the 
  root 
  and 
  the 
  plumule 
  

   must 
  turn 
  to 
  right 
  or 
  left, 
  or 
  even 
  twist 
  round 
  the 
  grain 
  

   itself, 
  in 
  order 
  to 
  commence 
  their 
  respective 
  upward 
  and 
  

   downward 
  courses. 
  The 
  marvelous 
  sensitiveness 
  of 
  the 
  root 
  

   tips 
  makes 
  them 
  appear 
  almost 
  agile 
  in 
  their 
  avoidance 
  of 
  

   impenetrable 
  obstacles, 
  while 
  the 
  same, 
  in 
  less 
  degree, 
  applies 
  

   to 
  the 
  plumule. 
  So 
  that 
  the 
  baby 
  wheat 
  plant 
  of 
  a 
  few 
  days 
  

   old 
  usually 
  contrives 
  to 
  twist 
  itself 
  into 
  a 
  confused 
  tangle 
  

   below 
  the 
  surface 
  of 
  the 
  soil. 
  A 
  careful 
  examination, 
  how- 
  

   ever, 
  will 
  show 
  that 
  it 
  has 
  not 
  departed 
  in 
  the 
  smallest 
  degree 
  

   from 
  the 
  principle 
  of 
  growth 
  which 
  the 
  writer 
  has 
  en- 
  

   deavored 
  to 
  describe 
  in 
  the 
  foregoing 
  account. 
  

  

  What 
  is 
  a 
  Fireproof 
  House? 
  

  

  I 
  HE 
  term 
  is 
  somewhat 
  relative, 
  and 
  it 
  has 
  

   been 
  and 
  is 
  so 
  much 
  abused 
  that 
  people 
  

   have 
  grown 
  a 
  trifle 
  skeptical 
  about 
  it. 
  Even 
  

   intelligent 
  architects 
  have 
  been 
  known 
  to 
  

   use 
  a 
  little 
  wire 
  lath 
  on 
  their 
  partitions 
  and 
  

   then 
  with 
  superlative 
  effrontery 
  call 
  the 
  

   building 
  "fireproof." 
  A 
  fireproof 
  house 
  is 
  

   one 
  built 
  not 
  only 
  of 
  incombustible 
  materials 
  but 
  in 
  such 
  a 
  

   way 
  that 
  even 
  a 
  conflagration 
  will 
  inflict 
  but 
  the 
  slightest 
  

   and 
  most 
  easily 
  repaired 
  damage; 
  one 
  in 
  which 
  fire 
  can 
  not 
  

   travel 
  from 
  point 
  to 
  point 
  via 
  the 
  structural 
  parts, 
  and 
  one 
  

   in 
  which 
  fire 
  can 
  be 
  confined 
  to 
  some 
  one 
  unit 
  of 
  space 
  or 
  

   room 
  in 
  which 
  is 
  originates, 
  even 
  though 
  the 
  entire 
  interior 
  

   may 
  contain 
  much 
  combustible 
  furniture 
  and 
  fittings. 
  

  

  Many 
  materials 
  while 
  incombustible 
  in 
  themselves 
  can 
  be 
  

   very 
  greatly 
  damaged 
  by 
  fire. 
  Thus 
  it 
  is 
  with 
  granite, 
  marble, 
  

   stone, 
  iron, 
  concrete, 
  glass, 
  etc. 
  These 
  materials, 
  if 
  used, 
  

   and 
  they 
  all 
  have 
  their 
  place, 
  should 
  be 
  so 
  arranged 
  or 
  pro- 
  

   tected 
  that 
  fire 
  can 
  not 
  assail 
  and 
  damage 
  them. 
  The 
  really 
  

   fireproof 
  house 
  is 
  the 
  one 
  whose 
  external 
  walls 
  are 
  of 
  well- 
  

   burnt 
  brick 
  and 
  terra 
  cotta 
  ; 
  whose 
  roof 
  is 
  of 
  tile, 
  metal, 
  or 
  

   asbestos 
  shingle; 
  its 
  floors 
  and 
  partitions 
  should 
  be 
  of 
  hollow 
  

   fireproofing 
  tile; 
  its 
  windows 
  where 
  very 
  near 
  a 
  neighbor 
  or 
  

   exposed 
  to 
  narrow 
  alleys 
  should 
  be 
  metal 
  sash 
  and 
  wired 
  

   glass; 
  the 
  stairways 
  should 
  in 
  all 
  cases 
  be 
  inclosed 
  and 
  with 
  

   self-closing 
  doors 
  at 
  every 
  story, 
  thus 
  absolutely 
  cutting 
  off 
  

   the 
  several 
  stories; 
  the 
  trimming 
  and 
  decorations, 
  if 
  marbles 
  

  

  are 
  beyond 
  the 
  reach 
  of 
  the 
  individual, 
  should 
  be 
  plastic 
  

   and 
  colored 
  decoration 
  — 
  'avoid 
  the 
  wood 
  wainscoting 
  and 
  

   the 
  "cedar 
  ceiling" 
  as 
  you 
  would 
  the 
  pestilence; 
  then 
  in 
  fur- 
  

   nishing 
  and 
  decorating 
  your 
  houses 
  go 
  to 
  the 
  Japanese 
  for 
  

   really 
  sensible 
  suggestions 
  — 
  put 
  in 
  the 
  minimum 
  of 
  frills 
  and 
  

   gew-gaws 
  and 
  finicky 
  draperies; 
  all 
  those 
  things 
  are 
  just 
  like 
  

   so 
  much 
  tinder, 
  the 
  scratch 
  of 
  a 
  match 
  and 
  phew 
  ! 
  there 
  you 
  

   have 
  a 
  first-class 
  fire 
  on 
  hand. 
  

  

  If 
  you 
  still 
  hanker 
  for 
  the 
  pretty 
  shingled 
  effect 
  on 
  the 
  

   side 
  of 
  the 
  house, 
  use 
  asbestos 
  shingling, 
  something 
  that 
  is 
  

   not 
  quite 
  as 
  good 
  kindling 
  as 
  is 
  commonly 
  used. 
  But 
  is 
  

   there 
  anything 
  prettier 
  than 
  a 
  dainty 
  brick 
  and 
  stucco 
  ex- 
  

   terior, 
  for 
  instance 
  ? 
  In 
  some 
  localities 
  It 
  may 
  be 
  economy 
  

   to 
  use 
  some 
  form 
  of 
  concrete 
  construction 
  instead 
  of 
  tile 
  for 
  

   floors 
  and 
  partitions. 
  If 
  you 
  do 
  so, 
  let 
  it 
  be 
  with 
  fear 
  and 
  

   trembling 
  and 
  much 
  prayer. 
  Good 
  concrete 
  work 
  is 
  not 
  

   combustible 
  ; 
  it 
  is 
  damageable 
  by 
  fire 
  ; 
  can 
  be 
  made 
  eminently 
  

   satisfactory 
  for 
  ordinary 
  house-building, 
  but 
  it 
  is 
  most 
  diffi- 
  

   cult 
  to 
  secure 
  well-done 
  work 
  of 
  that 
  character. 
  

  

  The 
  beautiful 
  open 
  stair 
  of 
  our 
  fathers 
  is 
  one 
  of 
  the 
  

   surest 
  means 
  of 
  conveying 
  fire 
  from 
  one 
  part 
  of 
  the 
  house 
  

   to 
  another. 
  Avoid 
  it. 
  Inclose 
  your 
  stair 
  in 
  fireproof 
  par- 
  

   titions. 
  Apart 
  from 
  this 
  fire 
  question, 
  did 
  you 
  ever 
  stop 
  

   to 
  think 
  that 
  this 
  open 
  stairway, 
  while 
  perhaps 
  rather 
  attrac- 
  

   tive 
  to 
  the 
  eye, 
  adds 
  just 
  about 
  fifteen 
  per 
  cent, 
  to 
  your 
  cares, 
  

   work 
  and 
  inconvenience? 
  Altogether 
  it 
  is 
  a 
  menace 
  to 
  life, 
  

   health, 
  comfort 
  and 
  peace 
  of 
  mind. 
  

  

  