268 On the Construction of Kitchen 



introducing a brush with a flexible handle through 

 this door-way, the soot adhering to the outside of the 

 top of the roaster, and to the surface of the brick-work 

 surrounding it, may be detached and made to fall back 

 into the fire-place, from whence it may be removed with 

 a shovel. The sides of the roaster may be cleaned by 

 introducing a brush through the door-way of the fire- 

 place. 



The door-way at the top of the roaster may be closed 

 either by a stopper made of sheet iron, or by a fit piece 

 of stone or brick, furnished with a ring or knob to 

 serve as a handle to it. 



If cokes be burned under these roasters, instead of 

 coal (which, as they will not be more expensive fuel, 

 and as they burn longer, and give a more equal heat, 

 I would strongly recommend), the flues will seldom if 

 ever require to be cleaned out. I burn nothing but 

 coke and a few pieces of wood in the closed fire-places 

 of my own kitchen ; and for my open chimney fires I 

 use a mixture of coke and coals, which makes a very 

 pleasant fire, and is, I believe, less expensive than coals. 

 It appears to me that there is no subject which offers 

 so promising a field for experimental investigation, and 

 where useful improvements would be so likely to be 

 made, as in the combination and preparation of fuel. 

 But to return from this digression. 



In constructing the fire-place of a roaster (and all 

 other closed fire-places) care must be taken to place the 

 iron bars on which the fuel burns at a considerable 

 distance from the door of the fire-place ; otherwise, this 

 door being near the fire, its handle will become very 

 hot, and it will burn the hand of a person that takes 

 hold of it. I have more than once seen roasters and 



