Economical Management of Materials, Sfc, on the Farm. 363 
careful treatment and management of farm-machinery in general 
might be obtained. 
Mcclianical advantages of Stationary or fixed Steam-engine- 
hoilors. — The great advantage obtained by the use of a fixed or 
stationary boiler and furnace is, that there being so much the 
larger dimensions to work with, there is little chance of the 
heating-surfaces and boiler water-spaces being so confined, as 
must of necessity be the case even in the best of our portable 
engines. This is obvious enough on very slight consideration 
of the circumstances. For in a portable engine the reduction of 
weight and the securing of compactness in the whole are 
points of considerable importance. But, however well propor- 
tioned the heating-spaces of the most recently made portable 
engines are, there is a very large class in almost daily use in 
which the proportions are anything but well designed. Those 
engines, as we have said, are chiefly old, at least, if only com- 
paratively so, they have been made prior to the introduction of 
the most recent improvements in this class of engine. 
In one sense, therefore, it is true that the stoker, with the care 
of a boiler-furnace of this last class, can scarcely help himself, 
but must force his firing. Still, for the evils and the conse- 
quent losses both of time and coal, there is fortunately a source 
of mitigation and relief. This lies in the system, more or less 
modified according to circumstances, of uniform steady firing. 
This, for reasons which I have already briefly explained, is 
best carried out in the usually well-proportioned furnace of a 
stationary or fixed steam-engine-boiler. My further remarks, 
therefore, on the important subject now under discussion will be 
formed on the supposition that the fireman or stoker has a 
boiler-furnace of this description to manage. And in order to 
render what I have to give as free from technical difficulties 
as possible, I shall briefly describe the mechanical and con- 
structive arrangements of a boiler-furnace. This, of course, is 
not meant lor, as it is not required by, professional readers, or 
for those who are au fait to the subject, but it may be useful to 
many readers, and may serve as the basis of brief instruction to 
those who may be disposed to impart some knowledge of the 
kind to those in their employment. Before, however, giving 
this, let me glance briefly at what constitutes bad stoking. 
What lad or careless Stoking practically is. — Of the two 
terms I have more than once used, " regfular " and " irregular " 
firing, the first obviously excludes all firing by what is gra- 
phically called " fits and starts." This is ever the style of firing 
adopted by inexperienced stokers. They throw on shovelful after 
shovelful of coals, generally with a total disregard of all uni- 
formity of size and disposition. The coals thus thrown on lie 
