RERAMIC STUDIO 
263 
you need not keep the spy-hole open; but if not Hghted 
until after, leave the small door open twenty minutes to 
half an hour. By regulation of drafts the heat may be 
thrown wherever you wish. To make it fire harder near 
the door, open back and right side slide in the burner. 
This throws blaze to the front. Too much oil retards fir- 
ing. An experienced engineer told the writer that if smoke 
came out of the chimney, more oil was turned on than 
could be consumed and the firing was retarded. It looks 
reasonable. There is slight difference of opinion as to this 
fact. Don't fire when the neighbor's washing is on the line. 
They may complain of you. Keep a box or pail of sand 
near the kiln in case of emergency. Water on burning 
oil is not always best. 
If soot drops into the burner don't poke it so that it 
goes near the oil flow pipe as it may cover the opening, 
back up the oil and you will have the oil running onto floor from 
the funnel. A wire bent at one end is good to clean 
out soot. 
For mending cracks in muffle mix fire clay, asbestos, 
cotton and water together. If a piece looses its glaze put 
dusted or highly fluxed color over and fire again. 
Watch your kiln carefully after it begins to get red 
and you will notice a change. It will get whiter inside. 
Leave it only a minute or two after the change. Then 
turn off entirely. The critical time is the last ten min- 
utes. Turning on oil faster at the very last adds to the 
glaze and finish. 
Watch carefully at the last. Let your eye become 
accustomed to the color so that you may note the change 
more easily. Experience and judgment are needed here. 
Get to feel every color, every piece of china. Love your 
kiln as a living thing. Study its moods and caprices and 
with patience and confidence your firing will be perfect. 
FLEUR DE LIS JAR— RUSSELL GOODWIN 
Top of vase dull yellow brown. Fleur de lis in several tones of grey violet, 
leaves on several tones of grey green. Ivory white outlines. 
