250 Polmaise Method of Heating 



error taking each other's places by a sort of reciprocal inva- 

 sion. But let us come at once to our purpose, and consider 

 what are the first essentials of a heating apparatus, and see 

 whether or not Polmaise possesses them. 



The first excellence of a heating apparatus is, without 

 doubt, adaptability ; the second, is economy. By some, how- 

 ever, these positions may be reversed, and mere cheapness 

 made the first consideration. But unless an apparatus answer 

 in every respect the purposes for which it is intended, it can- 

 not be called cheap, however little it may cost. It has been 

 frequently observed in regard to Polmaise, that its chief re- 

 commendation consisted in its cheapness, and were this 

 practically true, it might have some claims to our notice 

 even though it wanted convincing arguments to prove its 

 adaptability. The fallacy of this statement, however, re- 

 quires no arithmetical calculation to prove it, since any per- 

 son can prove the fact by a tradesman's estimate before he 

 commences the work, and which I have proved repeatedly in 

 a practical form within the last three months. To erect 

 Meek's apparatus requires within a trifle of tivice the expense 

 of a common flue, and so convinced am I of the superiority of 

 the latter, that in a forcing pit, eighty feet long, just erected 

 here, I have heated it with the old-fashioned method, although 

 the liberality of my employer placed all considerations of econ- 

 omy out of the question. But to give Polmaise of any kind 

 credit for cheapness, appears to be the most absurd argument 

 of its advocates ; and, if our judgment is to be governed by 

 reason and the evidence that is brought before it, we cannot 

 do otherwise than pronounce this system of heating to be at 

 perfect variance with all principles of economy in its con- 

 struction ; and this fact is fully confirmed by the development 

 which has recently taken place in the system, and in the ad- 

 dition of common flues which are now generally recom- 

 mended by its advocates, and, as a general rule, experience 

 goes to prove, that in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred, 

 cheapness in the beginning turns out to be dearness in the 

 end. 



In considering the adaptability of a heating apparatus, we 



