Description of an ceconomical culinary Stove. 357 



Boiling, steaming, and frying, are conducted on the cast-iron 

 plate over the fire-place. One of the size above described, twenty 

 inches square, is large enough for most moderate fan,ilies; for, 

 when a vessel is made to boil by being place'' on the hottest 

 part, it may be removed to one side, where it wM keep boiling 

 for any length of time ; and another which is required to boil 

 may be substituted in its place. 



In families where large quantities of hot water are wanted, a 

 boiler may be set on one side of the cast-iron plate and an oven 

 on the other, — but this will not in general be found necessary. 



Persons accustomed to place their vessels over the irregular 

 surface of an open fire, or on the hooks and other contrivances 

 made use of to support them, will be surprised at the great steadi- 

 ness and cleanliness with which the process of boiling is con- 

 ducted on an iron plate. 



Steaming may be conducted immediately over the vessels of 

 boiling water, or in others at a distance ; or the steam, confined 

 between the sides of double metallic vessels of various forms, 

 may be applied to the purposes of warming water, drying, &:c. 



The bottoms of vessels used for boiling on an iron plate should 

 be perfectly flat ; and both these, and those used for steaming, 

 should have their sides and tops kept as bright as possible. 



The boiliig temperature in Tquids, except the niate be very 

 hot, is not obta'ued quite so soon as over an open fire ; but this 

 will be found productive of little or no inconvenience, as the 

 vessel has only to be placed on it somewhat earlier. 



The common frying-pan may be used over an iron plate ; but 

 one with deeper sides would be prcferal>le, to prevent the flying 

 over of any particles of fat, which should be careful 'y avoided, 

 both on the plate and in the oven. 



Bread may be toasted by being out with a smoo'.h surface, and 

 placed on a small wire frame laid on the iron plate, so close as 

 just to prevent its contact. Small pieces may also be toasted in 

 the fire-place, and steaks, &c. may be readily broiled therein, on 

 a gridiron adapted to its foim and size. 



Cheese may be toasted with much greater facility than before 

 a fire, by being placed on the stove in a common plate, and 

 turned once over. 



That roasting can be well conducted in an oven, is by no means 

 generally known. The difference between it and bilking is this, 

 that the latter process is performed, as your cones])OHdciit sug- 

 gests, with the door closed ; and the former, with it sufliciently 

 open to admit of a gentle current of air passing ccmstantly 

 through the oven : and as in every oven, when the door is open, 

 a current of cold air enters near the bottom, and, passing round 

 up the back, returns out highly heated under its top, it is neccs- 



Z 3 sary 



