h will contribute to the peace
of mind of the owner.

In the first place, he should make sure that adequate insurance is carried
on his buildings and equipment so that in case of loss through fire there
will be sufficient indemnity to permit the rebuilding of the destroyed or
damaged structures. Lightning heads the list of the causes of farm fires
and is frequently not reckoned with by urban residents who have seen
little evidence of its destructiveness. In cities, points of electrical
concentration are avoided by diffusion through piping, metal poles and a
number of other conductors of electricity. The owner of a country home can
secure quite complete protection from damage through lightning by the use
of electrical conductors, usually called lightning rods, properly
installed. Such equipment does away with 90 per cent of the risk caused by
lightning.

In installing a system of lightning rods, it is well to observe a few
simple precautions. The most exposed parts of a building should be
provided with rods and the rod points should extend 3 to 4 feet above the
structure. Conductors from the rod point should go in the most direct line
possible to the ground and sharp bends in the conductors should be
avoided. One of the most essential precautions is to thoroughly ground the
conductors. Water pipes on the buildings furnish excellent grounding. The
grounds for the conductors must be deep enough in the soil to reach
permanent moisture. Lightning rods that are not properly constructed or
properly grounded may be a worse menace than if no such protection is
attempted. Specific methods of protecting farm buildings from lightning
damage can be secured from state agricultural agencies or from reliable
commercial firms which make a practice of erecting them.

Another cause of fires lies in unsound chimney construction. By using care
and the proper materials in the building of chimneys, fire may be avoided.
Chimney bricks should be laid flat rather than on edge, thereby
practically eliminating the development of chimney cracks through which
sparks can escape into floor spaces, attics and roofs.

Fire risks to residences and other buildings can be reduced by building
the roof of fireproof or fire-resistant materials. Wooden shingles, while
attractive and inexpensive, may become so dry at certain seasons of the
year as to furnish tinder for sparks that may rise from a brush fire or
from burning buildings in the vicinity. The use