The use of cast-iron fittings with superheated steam has been widely discussed. It is an undoubted fact that while in some instances superheated steam has caused deterioration of such fittings, in others cast-iron fittings have been used with 150 degrees of superheat without the least difficulty. The quality of the cast iron used in such fittings has doubtless a large bearing on the life of such fittings for this service. The difficulties that have been encountered are an increase in the size of the fittings and eventually a deterioration great enough to lead to serious breakage, the development of cracks, and when flanges are drawn up too tightly, the breaking of a flange from the body of the fitting. The latter difficulty is undoubtedly due, in certain instances, to the form of flange in which the strain of the connecting bolts tended to distort the metal. The Babcock & Wilcox Co. have used steel castings in superheated steam work over a long period and experience has shown that this metal is suitable for the service. There seems to be a general tendency toward the use of steel fittings. In European practice, until recently, cast iron was used with apparently satisfactory results. The claim of European engineers was to the effect that their cast iron was of better quality than that found in this country and thus explained the results secured. Recently, however, certain difficulties have been encountered with such fittings and European engineers are leaning toward the use of steel for this work. The degree of superheat produced by a superheater placed within the boiler setting will vary according to the class of fuel used, the form of furnace, the condition of the fire and the rate at which the boiler is being operated. This is necessarily true of any superheater swept by the main body of the products of combustion and is a fact that should be appreciated by the prospective user of superheated steam. With a properly designed superheater, however, such fluctuations would not be excessive, provided the boilers are properly operated. As a matter of fact the point to be guarded against in the use of superheated steam is that a maximum should not be exceeded. While, as stated, there may be a considerable fluctuation in the temperature of the steam as delivered from individual superheaters, where there are a number of boilers on a line the temperature of the combined flow of steam in the main will be found to be practically a constant, resulting from the offsetting of various furnace conditions of one boiler by another. [Illustration: 8400 Horse-power Installation of Babcock & Wilcox Boilers and Superheaters at the Butler Street Plant of the Georgia Railway and Power Co., Atlanta, Ga. This Company Operates a Total of 15,200 Horse Power of Babcock & Wilcox Boilers] PROPERTIES OF AIR