By William Atkinson, Esq. 469 



the flue may destroy a valuable collection of plants in a 

 moment. 



There is also another circumstance, which renders it desi- 

 rable to attend to the manner of supplying the fire with fuel. 

 If the fresh fuel be thrown over the whole surface of a hot 

 fire, it produces an immense volume of smoke, and blacks. 

 But on the contrary, when the fuel is added carefully at the 

 front of the fire, in the manner before described, then much 

 of the smoke given out by it is consumed in passing over the 

 hot part of the fire. 



Besides the management of the ash-pit register, the 

 damper of the flue ought to be particularly attended to, by 

 not opening it further than is absolutely necessary for the 

 combustion of the fuel. The more the damper can be closed, 

 provided the fire will burn moderately well, the more heat 

 will be retained in the flue, without escaping up the chimney, 

 and the less fuel will be consumed. And when the fire is 

 made up for the last time in an evening, the damper should 

 be put in as far as it can be, so as only to keep the fire just 

 alive, and in general the fire may be allowed to burn bright 

 against the last attendance in an evening, and then, instead 

 of putting on fresh fuel, close the ash-pit and damper com- 

 pletely. This will prevent any draught of cold air through 

 the flues carrying the heat out at the chimney, and the body 

 of heat that is then in the mass of brickwork of the flues, 

 having no other means of escape than into the house, will fre- 

 quently be found sufficient for the night. 



The ash-pit register should be properly attended to, and 

 never suffered to get injured with rust ; not even in the sum- 

 mer time, when not in use. The door should then be taken off 



