In reply to Mr. E. Holley's inquiry as to steam heating I will give my experience with steam heating for greenhouse purposes. In rebuilding our greenhouses last summer, that had been before heated with brick flues, we put in one of the Exeter heating apparatus, which I must say is one of the best machines for the purpose I have ever seen. And as to cost, we have one house 65x20 feet, two houses 11x45 feet, one house 45x20 feet. We had this heater put in complete, except brick work and excavating, for #650. The lowest bid on hot water was $900, and we do the work, which would cost over $1,000, to say nothing of the cost, of fuel, in favor of the steam over hot water.

We do not burn any more fuel to heat our whole range of houses than we did to run one furnace with brick flue, which could only heat one 11-foot house and half of another. Besides heating these houses we have a one hundred barrel tank elevated for watering our houses and have steam pipe run in it to keep from freezing in severe weather. As to the number of pipes to heat the said houses we use one-inch pipes, five run on a side, in our largest house. The return pipe should be an inch and a half, as it takes the condensation back to the boiler much faster, and that is what we want to get a quick circulation. I think that two-inch pipes would radiate heat faster than two one-inch, and not cool off as soon. Our boiler is twelve section, No. 2, equal to twelve-horse power, and have found it necessary to get up over ten pounds of steam pressure in the coldest weather we have had this winter, which has been 10° below zero, and did not experience any more trouble in keeping our temperature from 6o° to 65° than if it had been ordinary freezing weather only.

We build our fires accordingly.

As to steam ascending we have found no inconvenience, yet we turn our steam in our tank fifty feet from the boiler, and it ascends forty feet directly upwards and then returns. It takes about ten pounds of steam to get up circulation, and five pounds keep it up. As to leaving your boiler, all you have to do is to put in your fire and it will take care of itself. Having a damper regulator you can set it for any amount of steam you want. We find it necessary to get up of very cold nights, using, as we do, wood and soft coal, but will use hard coal next winter. Where you have hard coal you can leave your fire all night without any trouble.

Some persons that have had experience with steam say that steam cools down too soon. That is true, but it takes but a few minutes to get it up again, and it is not necessary to keep up fire all day when it is not needed for fear it will turn suddenly cold on you, as some florists I know of have to do, therefore wasting as much fuel as they burn.

In our boiler we do not keep up any fire when we do not need it. Have often gone to the furnace of a night when only a few coals were left, and in twenty minutes would have ten pounds of steam, and in less than five minutes from starting fire would raise the temperature from ten to fifteen degrees. And I would advise any one that wants cheap heat for greenhouses to use steam, and I do not think the Exeter can be beat when it comes to economy of fuel and first cost of putting, etc., and when you want to enlarge all you have to do is to add on a few more sections. That is one of the good points about it.

I hope that other florists who have this boiler in use will speak out and let us hear from experience with it, and if you have anything better I want to know it, as experience in such things is our best teacher.

I have had many inquiries about heating with steam during the summer and autumn. To answer all would take much time, and perhaps would not satisfy every one. I can say that steam heating will, I think, give more satisfaction uni-formly than hot water or any other form of heating. At least, I am well satisfied with mine. I have two boilers in use now. It is best for those wishing to put in steam to get a good steam-fitter to do the job, and have him warrant everything to work satisfactorily. I had my steam-fitting done by a good mechanic who warranted his work to give satisfaction, and so it did. There are good steam-fitters in every city who can do the same. The price for steam heating is about one-third less than hot water and gives just as good or better satisfaction. Those who intend to put in steam should see or write to a steam-fitter, tell him how many and how large are the houses you wish to heat. Better to show him the houses before making a contract; then he can give an exact estimate of cost to fit them with steam. The boiler should be ordered by the steam-fitter, who knows just what is needed. One of my boilers is from Pierce & Co., Buffalo, N. Y. It is an upright, extra made for heating purposes.

The other is a horizontal boiler, made in Detroit by Stephen Pratt. The first cost, complete, $400; the second cost (boiler alone, no fixings) $200. Of course the first heats double as much as the other. The two heat six large houses. All complete in heating order, pipes, boilers, etc, cost me for the six houses about $1,500. The houses are 64x24 feet each.

We shall have an illustrated article in our next by Mr. C. F. Evans, of Philadelphia, on " Steam Heating," which will explain very clearly much that mere letter press will not.