DIXON S PATENT FOR FIRING KILNS FOR POTTERY, ETC. 
In the accompanying drawings, a, a, &c, 
represent the kiln, and b, b, &c, the articles 
of ware stacked up in it to be baked, with the 
flue spaces formed thereby for the passage of 
the flama and other products of combustion 
around them. At the bottom of the kiln are 
placed pans, c, c, to contain common rosin, and 
placed over small pits, d, d, in which the fire can 
be made to melt the rosin, atmospheric air 
being admitted to the fires in these pits through 
apertures e, e, in front of the main pans, 
which apertures are governed by sliding reg- 
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leading to the main flues, to enable the attendant 
to examine the condition of flame within the flues. 
After the articles to be baked have been ar- 
ranged, and the kiln properly prepared for fir- 
ing, small fires, just sufficient to melt rosin arG 
made in the pits under the rosin pans ; common 
pine rosin, in lumps, is put into the pans, and as 
it melts, the gas evolved is inflamed by the ad- 
mission of atmospheric air, which produces flame 
in such quantity as to pass through all the flues 
formed by the ware in the kiln, and completely 
envelope the pottery or articles to be baked. 
The intensity of the flame can be in- 
creased or decreased, by means of the reg- 
isters which govern the supply of atmos- 
pheric air to the inflammable gas; the 
greater the supply of air, the more intense 
the flame, and vice versa. The flame 
thus produced is so diffused as completely 
to envelope the articles to be baked from 
the bottom to the top of the kiln ; and so 
great is the quantity of combustion, or 
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Kiln for Burning Pottery. — Fig. 74. 
isters in any manner desired. The front and 
back walls of the kiln have openings, one 
of each rosin pan provided with vertically- 
sliding registers, h, h, suspended each to a 
chain that passes over a pulley, and having 
a counter weight hung to it, so that the attendant 
can, by moving the registers, regulate the ad- 
mission of air to the inflamed rosin, and thus 
increase or decrease the combustion as the 
condition of the kiln may require. Holes pro- 
vided with plugs may be made in the walls. 
Ground Plan. — Fig. 75. 
inflammable matter in the gas thus pro- 
duced, that the action of the oxygen of 
the atmospheric air admitted, is entirely 
cut off from the surface of the articles be- 
ing baked. Should it be desired to make 
a kiln very high, atmospheric air may 
then be admitted through vent holes, near 
the top, to inflame the gases in the upper 
part of the kiln ; but, in kilns of the size 
ordinarily used for baking pottery, and other 
kinds of earthen ware, this will not be neces- 
sary, as it has been found, that, with the largest 
size heretofore, used, the flame can be carried 
even above the top, and give throughout the 
desired heat to bake equally. — Farmer and 
Mechanic. 
Gathering Seeds. — The largest seed vessels 
should be selected, and the seeds gathered as 
soon as possible after they are ripe, and always 
on a fair day. 
