The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-12-08


tial bodies.
House Heating.
NVo haro como to that ocoeon Of the
year when the question of house heat
ing becomes one of the most important
and interesting which can agitatc the
minds of the pcrpleXed dcnizens of this
frosty cline. The three important
conditions of proper heating are health
funess, comfort and economy, The
old wood fire blazing upon the hearth
with an immense open chimney hav-
ing draft enough to carry up the fire
wood as we'll as smoke and impure air
may he taken a. II typ of healthful
house heating. 1t did not always in
sure comfort, for one side might roast
while the other frozc and yet the con-
ditions of the atmosphere in the room
are such that it seems to stimulate
every pleasurable sense and activity of
the body, and it is with Il keen relish
that we change position to toast the
other side awhile, and on the whole we
decide that this is "a comfort giving
,,s ven .,s Il neaith giving nae, even if
we do say ii with a slight mental reser-
walton But is il economical? All
there's the rub Since the terrible de-
pletion of our forests, very few can af-
ford the old fashioned fireplace, with
its immense backiogs, to say nothing of
the time and expense required to feed
them. So the conditions of our out
ward circumstances changing, our
methods had To change, and the mod
crn stove was introduced. At first
wood was used for fuel but lately coal
has been substituted for wood The
coal fire is equally type Of cheap
heating but lacks sadly in the other
elements. Somebody has drawn a
vivid picture of its discomtorts as fol
lows:
The air seems sitting, and though
the temperature Of the room, as record
ed 10y the thermometer, is much higher
than that outdoors, the pleasant glow
wnlcn was felt in the sunshine soon
gives place to an extreme sensitiveness
to chill, Sit near wall or n window,
and an unpleasant GOODNESS creeps up
he back, as though a cold wind were
blowing across it, and we look for a
draft, though the air is motionless. Fhe
sir il at dog days heat. The walls and
furniture are cold. The bodily heat is
depressed by breathing the hot air, yet
streams of heat must flow out from all
directions 10 make up the deficiencies
ol surrounding objects. The thermo-
meter may declare that such room is
warm, but every nerve declares it is
not comfortable"
Substitute for the furnace or stove an
open fireplace or CRATE, and an APP
preach is made toward the comfort and
healthtulness Of the old time. 1t costs
more to bc sure. but isn't it good in
Vostmeut, after all, for those who are
able To indulge in such luxuries. But
"a" ure@t eNPe".e "''l Inconvenience
attending open fires must ever greatly
:
mated that only about one tenth of the
heating power of fuel is developed by
its combustion in an ordinary fireplace
and much of that escaped unused. And
10 heat room uniformly, by the open
crate it would be necessary to have G
fire on each side cf the room, which
would be entirely impractcable. How
then shall We secure the comfort of tn,
old time method, and not involve the
expense and Inconvenience which We
cannot afford? The Scientific Ameri
can suggests lhat some inventor con-
trive system of radiation which shall
not involve the transmission of heateC
matter, as steam, hot water or hot air
Perhaps 10y a system of heat reflectors
It is doubtful whether this plan is prac
ticable. And if it were so, we SHOULD
have 10 endure our present ills fol
years, before such a system could be
put into practical operation.
If we observe the principle upoi
which some houses are rendered com
Portable we may be able, perhaps to ap
ply it 10y very simple and cheap con
trivances. We often find a combina
lion Of the furnace heating arrange
ment with the open CRATE, and thi
combination remedies the evil effects o
one and the discomforts of the other
and its only objection is the expense
Now this remedy Of the evil effects O
the furnace system is simply and sole
ly, by furnishing thorough ventilation
while securing an ample amount @
heat, Those who use coal stoves ma,