3° 
liERAMIC STUDIO 
In lighting the fire, have plenty of matches and a 
taper with one end dipped in kerosene. The first thing 
to be done is to heat the generator. To do this, turn the 
switch cup under the generator screw. Turn the screw 
so that the gasoline will run into the cup and fill it full. 
Turn the screw back and light the gasoline in the cup 
taking care that a breeze does not blow the flame away 
from the generator. When the gasoline is consumed, 
turn the switch to the right, so that the opening is now in 
front of the generator screw. Turn on the gasoline and 
light the generator at the same time. The Generator should 
be kept burning all through the firing. If this effort is not- 
crowned with success, wait until the little cup has cooled 
before trying again, as the hot cup will evaporate the 
gasoline as fast as you try to fill it. All this is very much 
like the gasoline stove. Burning inside the generator 
may be corrected by increasing the flame a little, or by 
turning off and relighting. Water in the gasoline will 
make it sputter. Much depends on the generator work- 
ing well, so it is wise to protect the flame from drafts. 
After ten or fifteen minutes remove the damper near- 
est you to light the kiln burner. As you turn the screw 
nearest the kiln, put your lighted taper through the open- 
ing over the burner, and your fire is started. If it should 
burn in the mixer (the pipe to the kiln burner), it will 
make considerable noise, but no harm will be done. Only 
turn out the flame and light again. 
Note the time. Increase the flame a little every 
five minutes until you can see the flame over the firing- 
pot, taking care to turn on gradually so as not to crack 
the china. Noises caused by the expansion of the kiln 
may make you think the china is cracking, but need cause 
you no alarm. In half an hour the fire should be going 
at full head and your part is to watch and wait. 
At the end of the first hour, there should be a little 
redness in the bottom inside the kiln. By the end of the 
second hour the china should be red. At the end of the 
third hour, the cover to the firing-pot should be a bright 
red and inside the kiln a cherry red color. This is soon 
followed by a white mist which indicates that your firing 
is done. Three, or three and a half hours is needed for 
firing with the No. 3 Wilke kiln, and about five for cooling 
Bess time is needed with a smaller kiln and more with a 
larger one. 
Berhaps a word should be added in regard to care of 
the kiln. The burners should be cleaned occasionally 
with a wing, as soot collects. Whiting on the shelves 
and on the inside of the fire pot is good. Beakage in 
the screws and tank should be looked after by the hardware 
man. Worn out parts may be replaced. 
000 
FIRING WITH A FITCH CHARCOAL KILN. 
Eleanor C. Small, Belief our die, S. D. 
If there are others like myself, who work alone, and 
find experience a dear teacher, perhaps what I can tell 
them may be of some assistance. I use a Fitch charcoal 
kiln No. 3 and find the work just as good as some I have 
done with the Revelation. 
The first thing to do is to have a good shed or out- 
building, where there is no floor, plenty of good charcoal 
and kindling. In starting the fire, I usually take a big 
dripping pan full of charcoal and put it in the oven in 
the kitchen range an hour or so before I want it, and by 
the time I have the kiln stacked, that is burning well 
and gives the rest a good start. 
The same care must be used to have the color dry 
and china clean, that is necessary in any kiln. Do not 
allow the least bit of moisture in the fire-pot, as it will 
settle on the china and injure tinting and glaze. 
Stack carefully with stilts, or with unglazed portions 
touching. The closer the pieces are stacked without touch- 
ing, the better they fire. I find more pieces can be put 
in at one time by putting plates and saucers flat, until 
stacked six high, putting the small pieces around the edge, 
and a grate in for the larger pieces. 
Gold, enamel and lustre fire at the same time, and 
come out all right, if all are thoroughly dry. 
After the kiln is well stacked and cover on, put a 
scrap of paper or cloth in the ventilator tubes, pile in the 
red-hot charcoal dividing it evenly on all sides, fill up to 
the top of the fire bricks with good coarse charcoal; wait 
a minute or two for the dust to settle, then open the ven- 
tilator and in a few minutes the charcoal will be red. 
Fill up, and stack on top of the fire-pot, and in an hour or 
little more you will have a good even heat. 
Watch that all sides are heated alike and when you 
can look into the ventilator and see the "bright rose heat " 
do not put on any more charcoal. Bet the kiln cool slowly. 
Any cracks in the fire-pot, I fill with common clay. 
I also cover the grates and inside of the muffle or the fire- 
pot with a clay lining for which I use about a quart of water, 
a table spoon of powdered borax and clay enough to make 
a solution about like thin paint so I can apply it with a 
paint brush; after that is dry I fire red and never have 
any trouble with the iron muffle. 
ROSE BORDER— F. ABFRED RHEAD 
Roses in natural colors on lilac ground, alternate edge panels, black tracery on gold ground 
and white dots on dark blue ground. Gold edge. 
