100 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



tiiators lie in the line of the sun's rays very little shade is 

 cast, and this falls within the gutter. It may therefore be 

 asserted that the utmost amount of sunlight is secured for this 

 large hillside surface. Fourth. An ample supply of air, and 

 without danger of harsh currents, even in the coldest days, is 

 secured by the ventilators, which are at short intervals and 

 under easy control. An iron wire of the size of window-cord 

 runs the length of the house under the ventilator, to which 

 iron pushers are attached, at intervals of four feet, by cords 

 which pass over pulleys. A crank at one end of the house is 

 attached to the iron wire, and so draws it as to raise the entire 

 length of the ventilator with the utmost ease. This form is 

 very simple and inexpensive. Fifth. Economy of space is 

 apparent, as every foot may be utilized even under the 

 gutters. 



In the diagram, water-pipes, for the purpose of heating, are 

 marked under the table b. In my present houses, one of 

 which is of nine sections up the hill, the pipes are carried up 

 and through the four lower sections. The ascent is sufficient 

 to distribute the heat very uniformly through the remaining 

 five sections. A single cast-iron boiler does the work of 

 heating a house one hundred feet by one hundred and ten 

 feet. 



It would be well, however, in the culture of many plants, to 

 divide the house by glass-partitions at the standards a a a, 

 and thus secure small and close apartments of different tem- 

 peratures for the different classes of plants. The heat could 

 be regulated by increasing or diminishing the amount of pipe. 

 But I greatly regret that a first experiment in heating by hot- 

 air was abandoned, by reason of a defect in the apparatus. 

 My plan was to take the cold air from the house in a large 

 subsoil drain under and around the furnace, and then carry 

 the hot air along the lower sections and let it find its way up. 

 The economy in heating was clear, and the distribution of 

 heat was surprisingly equal, the hip in the roof and the angle 

 of the hill being just sufficient to cause almost an exact equal- 

 ity of temperature in every part. The defect was solely in 

 the furnace, which was poorly constructed, and emitted gas 

 to such an extent that the plan was too summarily abandoned. 

 There is no reason, however, why perfectly tight wrought- 



