CHAPTER III. 

 ARTIFICIAL HEAT AND APPARATUS. 



IN the first stages of civilization, man was contented to 

 eat the fruits of the earth as nature produced them in 

 each division of climate, or separate locality, but as luxury 

 crept in, he began to wish for those of more favored climes 

 than the one in which he, in many cases, happened to be 

 placed. His earlier peregrinations into more southern 

 countries enabled him to see the splendor of tropical 

 flowers, and taste the luscious fruits which there abound, 

 and to enable him to enjoy these desirable additions at his 

 own home, it became necessary to imitate as near as 

 could be done, the climate from whence they came ; and 

 here is the first inducement to use artificial heat, which 

 though of imperfect character so far, to a certain extent, 

 answered the purpose. This partial success set ingenuity 

 to work, houses constructed partly of glass were erected, 

 and so the thing has progressed from the half-glass, half- 

 slate building, with clumsy stone or brick flue, to the 

 Crystal Palace, and the elegantly modelled and scientific 

 hot-water apparatus, until, even in most inhospitable 

 regions, the fruits and flowers of the torrid zone are pro- 

 duced in equal, and sometimes superior quality, to that 

 which is found in the places to which they are indigenous ; 

 besides which, skill has so far triumphed, that by a judi- 

 cious application, or withholding of the artificial caloric, a 

 succession of crops may be had to suit the desires of the 

 most fastidious mind. 



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