House and Garden 
have left the surface rough. This fault 
is also overcome in a great measure by 
dividing the wearing surface into small 
squares about four inches on each side, 
by means of triangular grooves three- 
eighths of an inch in depth. 1 his not 
only makes a neat appearance, but fur¬ 
nishes a good foothold for stock.— Colo¬ 
rado Agricultural College. 
SMOKE-DUCTS IN ANCIENT HOUSES 
HOSE passages of the ancients 
which speak of smoke rising up 
from houses have with equal impro¬ 
priety been supposed to allude to chim¬ 
neys. Seneca says, “Last evening I 
had some friends with me, and on that 
account a stronger smoke was raised; 
not such a smoke, however, as bursts 
forth from the kitchen of the great and 
which alarms the watchmen, but such 
an one as signifies that guests have ar¬ 
rived.’’ The true sense of these words 
undoubtedly is that the smoke forced its 
w ay through the kitchen windows. Had 
the houses been built with chimney 
funnels, there could be no cause for 
alarm; but as the kitchens had no con¬ 
venience of that nature, an apprehen¬ 
sion of fire when extraordinary enter¬ 
tainments were to be provided seems to 
have been well founded, and on such 
occasions people were stationed in the 
neighborhood to be constantly on the 
watch to extinguish the flames in case a 
fire should happen. There are to be 
found in Roman authors many other 
passages of a similar kind. Aristoph¬ 
anes, in one of his comedies, intro¬ 
duces his old man, Polycleon, shut up 
in a chamber whence he endeavors to 
escape by the chimney. This passage 
may readily be explained, when we con¬ 
sider the illustration of the scholiasts, by 
a simple hole in the roof, as Reiske had 
supposed; and, indeed, this appears to 
be the more probable, as we find men¬ 
tion made of a top or covering with 
which the hole was closed. It has been 
said that the instances of chimneys 
remaining among the ruins of an¬ 
cient buildings are few and that the rules 
given by Vitruvius for building them are 
obscure; but it appears that there exist 
no remains of ancient chimneys and that 
Vitruvius gives no rules, either obscure 
or perspicuous, for building what, in the 
modern acceptation of the word, deserve 
the name of a chimney. The ancient 
mason-work still to be found in Italy 
Water-ReducingValve 
When the water pressure is too 
high it causes splashing at the 
spigots, hammering in the pipes 
and sometimes bursting of the 
plumbing apparatus. 
This valve will insure against 
these annoyances. 
SEND FOR CATALOGUE 
watson & mcdaniel co. 
137 N. Seventh Street Philadelphia, Pa. 
Mercer Boiler for Steam and Hot Water Heating 
Our Heating Boilers 
and Radiators 
are made for the home 
where the Architect 
and Owner demand 
uniform heat in all 
weather. 
The efficiency of our 
apparatus makes this 
always possible. 
MILLS SAFETY BOILERS 
THE H. B. SMITH CO. 
Factory, Westfield, Mass. 
728 Arch St., Philadelphia 
BEAUTIFY YOUR HOME 
AT SMALL COST 
This handsomely designed 4-foot Grille with 18 inch drop at 
ends and 12-inch drop in center, f inches thick, furnished in 
Oak, Birch or Yellow Pine, only $2.95. Larger sizes 60 cents 
per foot additional. We have many other beautiful designs. 
WE ARE MANUFACTURERS, sell direct to consumers, at 
wholesale prices, at one-half regular retail prices. Special de¬ 
signs for special purposes. Write us to-day for full particulars 
STAR GRILLE WORKS, 
2509 ARCHER AVENUE, > CHICAGO 
Vi// RELIEF' A 
!l4f 1)L : CORATION lb] 
pi/ FOR ALL M\ y: 
y 1 DECORATIVE 1 
PURPOSES 
VARIETY OF DESIGNS 
Manufactured Solely by 
FR. BECK & CO. 
BRANCHES: 
Chicago, 224 to 228 Wabash Ave 
Philadelphia, 1213 & 1215 Market St. 
Boston, Cleveland, 
ioi TremontSt. 1362 qth St. N. 
New York, 
7th Ave, & 29th St. 
Horses 
Wealthy people, the kind that 
subscribe to arttea, living 
in the suburban districts of our 
large cities, must have horses for 
driving and station work. Your 
advertisement published, as we 
will publish it, will attract the at¬ 
tention of buyers. Special rates 
and several other inducements 
will be sent upon request. 
JOHN GILMER SPEED, Editor. 
In writing to advertisers -please mention House and Garden. 
31 
