September, 1905 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



181 



becomes only an outer skin, with head 

 and legs attached. 



For some strange reason the aphis, 

 not long before dying, forsakes its 

 place among its fellows. As if ostra- 

 cized for its condition, although its 

 disease is hardly catching, it crawls 

 away to one of the larger leaves, 

 fastens upon it in exile and thus re- 

 mains. It is obvious that this benefits 

 the parasite; the aphis here is far less 

 apt to be found and attacked by 

 numerous other enemies that would 

 endanger the life of its guest. But 

 what can influence it? It departs from 

 its habit, for it is altogether social and 

 non-migratory. It removes to a less 

 desirable pasture ground. Normally, 

 if dislodged from the stem and falling 

 on the leaves it crawls back as fast as 

 its indolent legs permit to the stem 

 again. The parasite is alone bene- 

 fited, but it is out of the world, so to 

 speak; it can not get at its host's loco- 

 motory appendages ; it is a legless, 

 eyeless creature that at best would 

 make a poor guide if it should get out 

 and take the lead. But the little 

 thing, as unintelligent as it looks, 

 maggot-like, has perhaps a mind of 

 its own, as we have seen. The habit 



The Parasite of the Rose Aphis, much magnified 



<J The upper figure is the fly as seen from above ; the colors, 

 black, rufous red and yellow, have almost a metallic luster, and 

 the delicate, transparent wings reflect a beautiful iridescence. 

 The lower figure is the cocoon of the parasite beneath the 

 dead, dried and distorted shell of a plant louse, the insides of 

 which have been eaten by the parasite larva while attaining its 

 growth, after which it makes the cocoon. The little figures 

 in the circles indicate the natural size. 



is almost invariable; the victims crawl 

 from their usual places and posi- 

 tion themselves on the leaves. Out 

 of seventy-one parasitized plant lice I 

 found two on the stem and one on the 

 tip end of a thorn, as if it thought a 

 leaf ought to grow out there, but was 

 too far gone to search elsewhere. 



Upon attaining its growth the para- 

 site larva cuts open the aphis skin 

 underneath and squirms part way out, 

 so as to have full swing with its head 

 end. Then it begins the construction 

 of its cocoon, made, as with most in- 

 sects, of its saliva, and eventually be- 

 coming, after a few hours' work, a 

 silken, parchment-like, bulging, tent- 

 shaped affair, upon which the now 

 shrunken and distorted skin of the 

 aphis rests as on a pedestal. The 

 parasite enters the completed cocoon 

 and becomes an inactive pupa or 

 chrysalis, and in a few days thereafter, 

 if it is warm, the perfect insect, the 

 tiny fly, emerges and takes wing to 

 work more mischief among the rose 

 pests. The illustrations fully elucidate 

 the facts set forth in the text. They 

 present a wonderful insight into a 

 small natural force, not the less mas- 

 terful because of its mimic scale. 



1 r e 



rotection 



Safeguarding Temporary Structures 



I HE danger from fire to which any structure, 

 large or small, is subjected, unless it be built 

 in accordance with the most approved ideas 

 concerning fireproof erections, is so imminent 

 that only the most carefully constructed 

 buildings can be looked upon as other than 

 hazardous risks. Temporary structures do not escape this 

 rule, and often require quite as much care in their construc- 

 tion and need as much protection against fire as permanent 

 erections. 



It is not many years ago that the whole civilized world 

 was shocked at the dreadful catastrophe of the burning of the 

 Paris Charity Bazaar. It occurred on May 4, 1897, and 

 resulted in a terrible loss of life. It was occasioned by care- 

 lessness in the use of a lamp attached to the cinematograph. 

 The flames spread with prodigious rapidity, and one of the 

 most unnecessary of modern tragedies was enacted within a 

 very short time. The building was a temporary one, but had 

 previously been used for theatrical purposes. It was fairly 

 well supplied with exits, one of which was locked or bolted 

 at the time; but the flames spread with unparalleled rapidity, 

 and the ruin was complete almost before the nature of the 

 trouble had been realized. Many experts and many learned 

 committees investigated this fire and drew up voluminous 

 reports and papers concerning it, all of which pointed to one 

 general conclusion : the need of greater care and the necessity 

 for greater protection against fire dangers as urgent in 

 structures of this class as in more permanent buildings. 



More recently a somewhat similar case has attracted at- 

 tention in England, fortunately without loss of life. A Eon- 

 don man of wealth had built a temporary supper-room behind 



his house for use in an extensive entertainment he was about 

 to give. It was totally destroyed by fire immediately before 

 the time set, occasioned by improper electric insulation. There 

 was no loss of life, as has been said, because the room had not 

 come into use ; but subsequent investigation demonstrated 

 conclusively that had the fire occurred when the room was in 

 use there would have been a calamitous catastrophe. The 

 owner of the premises brought suit against the caterer who 

 had arranged the room, but the jury failed to give him 

 damages. 



This, however, is something quite apart from the im- 

 portant lessons to be drawn from the affair. The suit for 

 damages attracted wide attention, since temporary ballrooms 

 and temporary supper-rooms are quite common in London 

 and elsewhere on the occasion of large entertainments. It 

 was found that absolutely no provision had been made for 

 fire or other danger. Not a single pail of water had been 

 provided, nor a hand pump nor fire extinguisher of any sort. 

 The temporary wiring was admittedly of the most dangerous 

 sort, and yet no protection had been provided for use in any 

 sort of emergency. The very situation of the room was also 

 found to be dangerous : it was built over back additions to 

 the house, and had only two exits; had any one attempted to 

 break through the canvas walls he would have fallen into 

 a deep area. 



Buildings of this description are not erected every day, 

 nor does every one have occasion to use them. Catastrophies 

 in connection with them are, moreover, comparatively rare; 

 but it is a singular thing that when fire does arise in them the 

 resulting injuries are likely to be very heavy as well as thor- 

 oughly unnecessary. 



