356 On the Construction of Kitchen 



room is left for the boiling up or swelling of the contents 

 of the saucepan. Cooks will be best able to judge how 

 far this is an object of importance. 



In each of the three last figures a section of the tube 

 which carries off the steam is shown, as also a section 

 of the rim of the cover that enters the saucepan. This 

 rim, which may be from f of an inch to i inch in breadth, 

 should be made to fit the opening of the saucepan with 

 some degree of nicety; but it should not be fitted so 

 closely as to require any effort in removing it, or so as 

 to render it necessary to use both hands in doing it, 

 one to hold the saucepan fast in its place, and the other 

 to take off its cover. 



The steam-tube of the cover, which may be 1 an inch 

 or \ of an inch m diameter, and should project about 

 | an inch above the top of the cover, must pass through 

 both the top and the bottom of the cover, and must be 

 well fitted and soldered in both, in order that the air 

 between the top of the cover and its bottom may be 

 confined and completely cut off from all communication 

 with the steam, and also with the external air. This 

 steam-tube should have a fit stopple, which may be 

 made of wood, and which, to prevent its being lost, 

 should be attached to the top of the cover by a small 

 wire chain about 2 or 3 inches long. 



In respect to the handles of these covers, the choice 

 of the form to be adopted may be left to the workman 

 who is employed to make the cover ; for, excepting in 

 certain cases, which will be particularly noticed here- 

 after, it is a point of little importance. 



It is right that I should observe here that though the 

 covers I have here described are such as I have gener- 

 ally-recommended, yet others of different forms may be 



