The contradictory statements here are very amusing, but the truth can be seen between the lines, that the makers of clay tile really believe that slate is their real rival, and have searched very hard to pick flaws in it as a material for roofing. And when the advertisement of the asbestos shingle manufacturer is read, we learn that slate does not last much longer than clay tile. But both are insistent upon the opinion of the fire underwriters, and for this reason we naturally turn to see what they have to say, and we find that both slate and tile are under Class A roofing materials, with little difference made between them. As for the point of attracting lightning, why is slate used for switchboards if it is as good a conductor of electricity as a statement of the above type would imply? It is quite evident that one’s opinion of slate after all this controversy will be about on a par with one’s opinion of clay tile, and that one will realize that poor grades of either slate or tile, or poor workmanship, are rather more the causes of failure than the material itself. Many more examples might be given of this interesting method of learning the truth from advertisements, but the principle in all cases remains the same, so that further quotations would only amuse rather than instruct. XIV ROOFING MATERIALS A roofing material should not be judged by its first appearance, but rather by its condition after four or five winters have passed over it. And in choosing the roof for the small house, this is a statement which applies with even greater emphasis, since the temptation is magnified to select that material which is low in cost and bright upon its first appearance. As an illustration, there are certain types of wood-shingle roofs which have a charm in the beginning that is apt to disappear with age. These are constructed of shingles, dipped in many varieties of colored creosote stains, browns, reds, greens, blues, yellows, and the like, and when newly laid have a warm, mottled, and colorful texture which suggests the multiplicity of tone that nature often produces with age. In fact, the designer who originated this roof was trying to imitate the aging effect of nature, much as Tiffany glass is an imitation of the effect of time upon certain ancient glasses; only in the latter case the operation is the same but the time element reduced, while in the case of the roof it is a theatrical imitation of nature at work.