Fire-places and Kitchen Utensils. 297 



upper part of the door would serve the purpose of a 

 steam-tube ; but this contrivance would not be found 

 to answer. A steam-tube, properly constructed, will 

 have what is called a draught through it, which on 

 some occasions will be found to be very useful ; but a 

 hole in the door unconnected with a tube could have 

 no draught. It is absolutely necessary that there should 

 be a damper in the steam-tube. The simplest damper 

 is a circular plate of iron, a very little less in diameter 

 than the tube, which, being placed in it, is movable 

 about an axis, which is perpendicular to the axis of the 

 tube. This circular plate being turned about, and placed 

 in different positions in the tube by means of its axis, 

 which, being prolonged, comes forward through the 

 brick-work, the passage of the steam through the tube 

 is more or less obstructed by it. This prolonged axis, 

 which may be called the projecting handle of this dam- 

 per, is represented in the Figs. 14, 15, and 17. This 

 appears to me to be one of the simplest kind of dampers 

 I am acquainted with ; and it has this in particular to 

 recommend it, that it may be regulated without opening 

 any passage into the steam-tube, or into the roaster, by 

 which the air could force its way. 



Of the Dripping-pan. 



As the principal dripping-pan of a roaster is destined 

 for holding water, and as it is of much importance that 

 it should not leak, it should be hammered out of one 

 piece of sheet iron, in the same manner as a frying-pan 

 is formed ; or, if the metal be turned up at the corners, 

 it should be lapped over, but not cut, and all riveting- 

 nails should be avoided, except such as can be placed 

 very near the edge of the pan, and above the common 



