122 Of the Management of Fire 



up in a very complete manner ; its (wooden) cover is 

 cheap, simple, and durable, and answers perfectly well 

 for confining the heat; the steam tube (or steam 

 chimney as I have called it) is very useful, as it carries 

 off all the steam generated in cooking, and keeps the 

 air of the kitchen dry and wholesome. To carry off 

 the steam which rises from the hot soup when it is 

 served up, there is a steam-chimney of wood (furnished 

 with a valve), the opening of which is situated at the 

 highest part of the kitchen. To prevent the cold air 

 from coming down by this passage into the kitchen, its 

 damper (which is opened and shut by a cord which goes 

 over a pulley) is, in winter, kept constantly shut, except 

 just when it is necessary to open it for a moment to let 

 out the steam. 



The only alteration I would make, were I to fit up 

 this boiler again, would be to leave openings by which 

 the flues might be cleaned occasionally, without lifting 

 the boiler out of its place. This should be done in the 

 fire-places of all large boilers. This boiler, which is 

 used every day, requires to have its flues cleaned, and 

 its bottom and sides scrubbed with a broom, to free 

 them of soot, once in six weeks. 



Over against this boiler is a machine for drying 

 potatoes, which has been found to answer perfectly 

 well the end for which it was contrived. Potatoes 

 first moderately boiled, and then skinned and cut into 

 thin slices, and dried in this machine, may be kept good 

 for many years. 



The eight iron boilers in the great kitchen are fitted 

 up on good principles ; and the oven, which is heated 

 by the smoke from the fire-places of two of these boilers, 

 which oven is destined for drying the wood for the use 

 of this kitchen, is deserving of attention. 



