34 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE VICTORIA INSTITUTE. 
The ways and means of ventilating plant structures are 
many, but there are cases where they remain inoperative, are bad 
in plan, or prove ineffective, through improper application of 
them. 
Tiie chief agent in ventilation, causing the movement of air, 
is heat. It is a well known axiom that heated air rises and cold 
air descends, and it is upon this principle that the ventilation of 
Horticultural structures and dwelling houses should be carried 
out. 
Perhaps it would be improper for me to condemn in strong 
terms the general plan of buildings found in Trinidad. Yet, if 
they are examined, with a view of testing their system of venti- 
lation I fear that many would prove defective. In fact tho 
builder (in numerous cases) following in the main the teachings 
of European architecture, succeeds in erecting buildings, which 
for a tropical climate are merely so many heat traps and models 
of discomfort -although quite suitable for other countries. 
I do not say this is the case everywhere, but I would point 
om that this styie of l)uilding is much too general in this Island. 
I have seen a building put up in Trinidad, in which I should be 
sorry to condemn even a cat to li ve, much less a human being. 
Ii we build a roof on the following plan, (shewn on Black- 
board) we have what I should call, a very efficient heat trap, and 
one wmeh could not be better devised for •accumulating and 
storing heat, for it is impossible to imagine hew at any other 
time than during a strong breeze, the heated air could escape fast 
enough to render the building comfortable. Apologies for this 
kind of construction, and which admit its faults, are found in the 
tiny dormer windows which are placed (it is said) for purposes of 
ventilation, as the roof surface can easily be proved (by recording 
the temperature) to be several degrees higher than it should be. 
Again I have heard an engineer say, “Oh, ceil the room and then 
it will be alrignt.” Ceiling certainly tones down the effect of the 
