NEW ENGLAND FAKMEK, 



AND GARDENER'S JOURNAL. 



PUBLISHED BY GEORGE C. BARRETT, NO. 62 INORTII MARKET STREET, (Aguicultural Warehouse.) — T. G. FEBSENDEN, EDITOR. 



BOSTON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 9, 1835. 



NO. 0. 



From llic Horticultural Register. 



The way properly to approach this suhjcrt, is 

 first to consider this scheme as compared with the 

 former nietliods of Iieating siicli structures with 

 flues, warui air and steam. The olijections to the 

 first, are the dry heat it occasions, owing to the 

 hot air circulating through the flues having heen 

 in immediate contact with the fire, hy which it i.s 

 deprived of its moisture, partially decomposed or 

 altered, and largely charged with carbonic acid 

 gas ; the heat of this air is probably 4 a 600 de- 

 grees, and should the fire hy accident be made too 

 large, or a leak occur in the flues, the plants are 

 inevitably injured. Warm air is seldom used, but 

 is oi>en to the same objection. We have proved 

 in four months' successive experiments for chem- 

 ical purposes, that atmospheric air passing over 

 ignited coal, becomes combined with a considera- 

 ble' quantity of carbonic acid gas, which is unfit 

 for vegetation, and injurious to respiration. 



The method of heating by circulating steam 

 through pipes, is free from this objection, but the 

 inconveniences are, that accident or negligence 

 may over-load the safety-valve, and endanger the 

 building ; or what is the most serious objection, 

 that the moment the fire gets so low as to cease 

 driving the steam, the house becomes quichly cold, 

 n'o litat being given oflf by the pipes. 



To these objections the plan of heating by hot 

 water inclosed in pipes is not liable ; the surface 

 by which the air of the building is warmed, scarce- 

 ly ever attains 160 degrees of heat, (212 is boiling 

 point) and it is almost impossible, if the jn-opor- 

 tions are originally properly calculated, to bring 

 it to this point ; consequently the plants can never 

 be injured by overheat, and the atmosphere re- 

 mains uudeprived of its moisture, unaltered and 

 uncontaminated. I have seen two adjoining gretn 

 houses heated, for the sake of experiment, by flue 

 and hot water, the same species of plants being 

 placed in each : after two months' operation, the 

 difference in vigor of vegetation, in size and color 

 of leaves, was beyond all conception strikingly in 

 favor of the hot water. The thermometer was 

 always much more steady, and the air never felt 

 oppressive. In addition to this, if the boiler is 

 properly constructed, so as to have a siiflicient 

 body of water heated, should the fire be let to go 

 out, the water will take several hours to cool, and 



4~ the pipes will continue to give off heat the wliole 

 time. 

 In fact, the superiority of this plan has been 

 evident ever since its first application ; but it has 

 been several times iu disrepute, owing to failures 

 and accidents arising from a want of knowledge of 

 first principles in those Avho have undertaken to 

 construct the necessary apparatus, and iu every 

 one trying to start and drive a hot water system 

 of his own, often opposed to these principles, and 

 as often endeavoring to force them beyond their 

 ^^natural limits. 



There are two extremes in the ajjplication of 

 this system, the space between which has afforded 



extensive ground for experiments and plans. — 

 The first is the method of Perkins, who passes 

 strong tubes of small diameter through the midst 

 of the furnace, and thus heats the water to 4 a 600 

 degrees; these small tubes continue through the 

 buildings, and give ofl' a large quantity of heat ; 

 they take up little room, are easily concealed, and 

 effectually warm the building. This is, therefore, 

 very desirable, as long as the pipes remain sound; 

 but should any accident produce a leak ever so 

 small, the result might be a very dangerous explo- 

 sion, notwithstanding the safety-valve. It is idle 

 to say that common care will prevent this; sev- 

 eral explosions have alreaily taken place — and 

 although every precaution is taken at a powder 

 magazine, yet no one prefers te reside near it. 



The other extreme is not heating the water suf- 

 ficiently to keep up a rapid circulation through 

 the pipes. This often arises from a wrong con- 

 struction of the pipes and boiler, as well as of the 

 ftirnace. Heat cannot be economised beyond a 

 certain degree ; if every glowing coal is placed in 

 contact with a body which abstracts its heat, it is 

 impossible to keep up a fire, and unless siiflicient 

 heat escapes up the chimney to rarify the air there, 

 no draft can be created, and the fire will not burn ; 

 therefore, much depends on the projier construc- 

 tion'aiid ])roportions of the boilers and furnaces. 

 Again, btU wwxar jJofcs not give oft' heat in propor- 

 tion to its solid mass, but from its surface ; there- 

 fore, the larger the surface is, compared with the 

 solid contents of the i)ipes, the more rapiil will be 

 the circulation, as the heat is given off quicker, 

 aud in larger quantities ; to this, however, there 

 are limits in reason. 



Attention to the proper levels is of main conse- 

 quence in this system, as if any part of the pipe 

 descends below the bottom of the boiler, the cir- 

 culation is immediately arrested. 



Kewley's method with a syphon inserted a few 

 inches below the surface of the water in an open 

 boiler, is an excellent way, where an unlimited 

 quantity of heat is required, or where additional 

 heat is wanted occasionally. 

 fessenden's portable steam and hot water 



STOVE. 



T. G. Fesscnden, one of the conductors of this 

 journal, has obtained a patent from the Govern- 

 ment of the United States, for a new application 

 of the [)rinciples of heating apartments by hot 

 water and steam, of which a short description will 

 be given in this place. 



The principles or distinctive advantages of this 

 stove, consist in forming an easily portable appara- 

 tus, which furnishes a convenient mode of airest- 

 ing and detaining nearly all the heat produced by 

 fire in warming apartments, &c., which in com- 

 mon stoves is permitted to escape through the 

 smoke-pipe and chimney iijto the open air. This 

 is effected by exposing a quantity of water, in- 

 closed in a proper vessel, to receive that heat from 

 the fire-place which would otherwise pass off 

 through or near the centre of the stove and smoke 

 pipe, distributing the heat thus obtained within 



the ajiartment to be warmed, and condensing and 

 bringing back to the boiler, the sti am which arises 

 from the boiling of the water jilaced in the centra' 

 part of the stove, without the apparatus of valves 

 syphon?, &c., heretolbre deettied indispensable iu 

 heating buildings by steam ; or the long and cum- 

 brous train of pipes, reservoirs, •&-c., commonly 

 used where hot water has been employed as the 

 agent in retaining and distributing heat. 



Fessenden's Steam and Hot Water Stove con- 

 sists of a hollow cylinder, standing perpendicu- 

 larly on sliort legs. Within this cylinder, are a 

 grate and ash-pit, and a fire-pot, with suitable 

 doors, a drawer, &c., to admit air and fuel, re 

 ceive ashes, &c. Directly over the fire-pot, and 

 in part within the cylinder, is a boiler, its lower 

 part of a cylindric shape, and its upper part diver- 

 ging like a funnel. 'his is suspended over the 

 fire-pot by the projection-'Hif its sides, which rest 

 on the upper edge of the cylinder. Above the 

 projection, within the boiler, (according to the last 

 improvements in the apparatus) is a groove or 

 channel, extending horizontally round the boiler, 

 about an eighth of an inch in depth. Above this, 

 and easily removable, is placed the steamer, or 

 steam-warmer, which may consist of a cylinder of 

 tin, or other suitable metal. The lower end of 

 this cylinder is open, and its edge rests in the 

 groove above mentioned, alTH its upper end may 

 be closed with a lid. The steam-warmer may be 

 of any convenient dimensiops, according to the 

 size of the stove. It is generally made about thir- 

 teen inches wide, and eighteen inches high. It 

 may be well, though not absolutely necessary, un- 

 less a great heat is required, to use a small tin 

 pipe, for carrying oft' the surjilus steam which may 

 (iroceed from near the top of the steamer into the 

 smoke-pipe. The lower erlge of the steamer rest- 

 ing in the groove, and the groove being filled with 

 water of condensed steam, confines the steam, and 

 at the same time operates as a very ilelicate safe- 

 ty-valve, and i)ermits a portion to escape, before 

 it can acquire a dangerous elasticity. 



This stove may answer ibr boiling or steanring 

 food for man or beast ; and by some alterations, 

 (which will not here be S|iecified, as the inventor 

 intends to petition for a patent for improvements,) 

 may be used for distilling water from flowers, 

 herbs, &c., or obtaining pure distilleil water for 

 the use of druggists, &c. 



The boiler and its contents not only serve to 

 arrest, detain, and eventually give out into the 

 room much heat, which would otherwise escape 

 through the smoke-pipe into the chimney, but the 

 lower part, which enters into the cylinder, forces 

 the current of heat to pass near the sides instead 

 of the centre of the stove, by which means more 

 heat is emitted through the sides into the room, 

 than would be if its course was not impeded. 

 'J here is likewise, in many cases, a great advan- 

 tage in having hot water always at hand, which 

 may be taken out of the stove for use when want- 

 ed ; and the air of a- room heated wholly or in 

 part by hot water or steam, is much more healthy, 



