1883.] THE VENTILATION OF FARM BUILDINGS. 209 



our houses, and they have very extensive diagrams explaining 

 it all, with scientific certificates backing up the position that 

 that is the proper place to get rid of the bad air in our dwel- 

 lings, not at the top, as heretofore. And in recently discuss- 

 ing this matter with an intelligent engineer and architect, 

 he said, " we ventilate entirely from the bottom of rooms, and 

 one of the best ways in the world to ventilate a dwelling is 

 by a low fire-place. Our old fathers understood it, and that 

 is why they were all so healthy — they all had perfect ventila- 

 tion in their houses. And that, I think, is why people are 

 putting in fireplaces, as I do into every building I put up. I 

 think the natural and true way to ventilate our houses is to let 

 the hot air come in from the furnace, or steam-pipes, or stove, 

 and get rid of the impure air down at the bottom." That 

 seems to be the theory, and of course we have to follow the 

 scientists. They are the men who ought to know, and they 

 tell us that by ventilating our rooms at the bottom, we get 

 rid of the vitiated air and of the carbonic acid gas that is 

 lying down there. 



Dr. BowEN. I know that is the theory. There have been 

 all kinds of theories brought forth in some quarters, some of 

 which prove more efficacious than others. You have got to 

 consider the shape of your room, the use to which it is put, 

 and the surroundings of the building, before you determine to 

 adopt any system of ventilation. That method does not an- 

 swer as well in many cases as more simple means of ventila- 

 tion. You can ventilate in that way ; it is successfully done ; 

 and you will find, as has been said, that there are a great 

 many diagrams given by builders, very nicely illustrated with 

 beautiful arrows showing how the currents of air go through 

 a room, but if we attempt to follow them out, we find that it 

 is very much like the labyrinth that we used to work out in 

 childhood, and we generally reach zenith about as we did 

 when we got into the center of that. It is hard work to do 

 it. I spoke of the most successful means by which practical 

 farmers, such as I conceive we are here, can ventilate our 

 stables, as we have them. That is the reason I have brought 

 u 



