332 STEAM ENGINE. 
cost the most economical ; but a condensing one, 
notwithstanding its greater expense, is the most 
desirable. A fixed engine, whenever its power 
can be made fully and generally available for the 
uses of the farmery, is more profitable than a por- 
table one; for when a convenient building con- 
taining the chaff-cutter, the turnip-slicer, the 
corn-crusher, the cake-crusher, the bone mill, the 
flower mill, the cider mill, and other useful ma- 
chines immediately adjoins the barn, all, as well 
as the thrashing-machine, can be conveniently 
driven by the engine, and the apparatus for 
steaming and cooking can at the same time re- 
ceive its full supply of steam from the boiler; 
and the fixed engine, besides being very much 
cheaper at first than the portable one, is ever 
after more easily kept clean, and managed with 
less trouble. Yet when the machines to be im- 
pelled cannot be kept around one spot, a porta- 
ble engine is exceedingly convenient and of great 
practical value ; and may be obtained from the 
manufacturers completely mounted on a carriage 
with wheels and shafts, for easy removal, with 
one horse or two according to the size, from place 
to place in the same manner as carts or waggons. 
Dean of Birmingham’s four-horse power porta- 
ble steam-engine is very simple, safe, efficient, 
and durable, and excellently adapted for agricul- 
tural purposes. It may be styled a double en- 
gine, being mounted with two steam cylinders, 
thereby dispensing with the heavy fly wheel, 
and rendering it much more portable, and easily 
drawn by two horses. Its power is sufficient for 
driving several of the smaller machines of the 
farmery, such as chaff cutters, corn cutters, tur- 
nip cutters, cake breakers, and bone mills, at 
the same time ; and when employed in thrashing, 
with an adequate machine, it will be found equal 
to six or eight horses. Its price is £140; and 
the working parts of it may be enclosed in iron, 
at an extra charge of £5. Dean’s two horse power 
portable steam-engine will. be found to answer the 
purposes of many farmers fully as well as one of 
greater power, being equal to the performance 
of much more work in cutting chaff and turnips, 
bruising corn, grinding, &c., than is required to 
be done upon farms of moderate extent; and 
when employed in. thrashing, it has: been declared 
by many farmers to be equal to four horses, It 
is more portable than engines of larger power, 
and is drawn with ease by one horse. Its price 
is £80. Dean’s three horse power portable steam- 
engine, is also an exceedingly useful farmer’s 
engine, and calculated to drive the usual four 
horse thrashing machines to much greater ad- 
vantage than by animal power. Its price is £110. 
These steam engines being simple, and free from 
complicated movements, are easily managed and 
not liable to get out of order. They are fitted 
with superior metallic pistons, thus obviating- 
the trouble and risk of packing, and with metal 
side valves in lieu of steam taps; and they 
will be found much more durable and efficient 
STEAMING APPARATUS. 
than engines with vibrating or oscillating cylin- 
ders. 
STEAMING APPARATUS. The advantages 
of cooking the food of horses and cattle and pigs, 
—in small quantities by boiling, and in large 
quantities by steaming,—are noticed in the ar- 
ticles Borzine, Foop, Frepine or Animats, Horse, 
and Hoe. A common apparatus with open: Wsslle 
to steam food for from ten to twenty horses, may 
consist of a cast-iron boiler of 40 or 50 gallons i in 
capacity, a sheet-iron steaming-pan of corre- 
sponding capacity, an ordinary furnace similar to 
that of a washing-house, and a crane for lifting 
off the steaming-pan. The boiler has a double 
edge or lip, forming a groove about 2 inches deep 
and 1} inch wide, running quite round the mouth ; 
and it is set on the furnace. The steaming-pan 
has a bottom like a large-meshed sieve, fixed 
into it at about 14 or 2 inches from its lower 
edge; it is furnished with an iron bow, attached 
to gudgeons placed a little below the line of the 
centre of gravity of the vessel, so that it may be 
easily overturned when suspended by the bow, 
for the convenience of emptying it, and is re- 
tained in the upright position by a catch; and 
it has a close cover of wood or of sheet-iron. In 
using the apparatus, both the boiler and its 
groove are filled with water ; and the steaming- 
pan is then placed on the top of the boiler, its 
lower edge falling into the groove, the contained 
water forming a hydraulic lock or seal, prevent- 
ing the escape of steam, at a pressure a little 
above that of the atmosphere. The furnace being 
kindled, the water in the boiler soon produces 
steam, which, rising into the upper vessel, per- 
vades every part of it, and being continued for a 
sufficient length of time, produces the desired 
effect. This in the case of potatoes will require 
from 30 to 48 minutes. The crane is worked in 
the usual manner, and by means of a rope or 
chain, a. man can remove the pan with its con- 
tents; and, while thus suspended, the catch of 
the hor being disengaged, the contents are dis- 
charged into a trough prepared to receive them. 
One advantage of this kind of apparatus is, that 
the boiler being open, can be applied to the pur- 
pose of boiling grain or other substances, or for 
any purpose in which hot water may be required. 
Some close-boiler apparatuses for steaming 
have hemispherical boilers of cast-iron; and 
others have malleable iron boilers of the common 
waggon shape. The latter, though a little more 
expensive in the first cost, are, in many places, the 
most economical for fuel; and hence their adop- 
tion may be regulated by the price of fuel in the 
localities where they are to be used. The steam- 
ing vessels may be varied to suit situation and 
circumstances; and may be either chests of deal, 
chests of sheet-iron, or casks; the last in most 
cases will be found the most suitable. The other 
auxiliary apparatus, as steam-pipes, water-cis- 
tern, valves, stop-cocks, &c. may be adopted of 
such materials as shall be most conveniently pro- 
