Page:An Encyclopædia of Cottage, Farm, and Villa Architecture and Furniture.djvu/734

 710 COTTAGE, FARM, AND VILLA ARCHITECTURE. undergo from cold and heat, dryness and moisture : for this reason, Count Rumford prefers covers of thin sheets of tinned iron, made double, with a vacuity of an inch or more between. 1486. For the Covers or Stoppers to small Fireplaces or Stewing- Hearths, when they are not in use, fire-bricks or fii-e-stones are the most suitable materials ; a ring or staple being let into the centre of the brick or stone, to admit of its being readily put on and taken off. By putting on a nonconducting cover or stopper, as soon as the boiler or stevvpan is removed, much less heat is radiated into the kitchen during the cooling of the ignited fuel. 1487. To prevent one Stewpan or Boiler being mistaken for another, Count Rumford recommends having tlieir diameters expressed in inches on their handles or brims, and also on their covers, and on the margins of the fireplaces which they fit. He also recom- mends the diameters of boilers and stewpans, and of the fireplaces into which they are to be fitted, to vary at the rate of two inches ; and he mentions six, eight, twelve, and four- teen, as suitable gradations of size. In order that fireplaces of the same diameter might be rendered of different capacities, he recommends their being made of three different depths; viz., one third, half, and two thirds of their horizontal diameter. These different depths should also be marked on the boilers and stewpans, and on the margins of the fireplaces. 1488. The Number and Size of the separate closed Fireplaces of a Kitchen should be regulated by the extent of the entertainments which it is contemplated may at any time be required, and not by the average style of living. With this view, Count Rumford's recommendation, of having a separate closed fireplace for every boiler, kettle, and stewpan, is of the utmost importance ; since, when very little cooking is required, not more than two or three of the separate fireplaces need be used ; and, consequently, no waste of fuel is produced. In large kitchen-ranges, on the contrary, an enormous quantity of fuel is swallowed up, even when only a very small quantity of food is provided. More fuel, Count Rumford observes, " is frequently consumed in a kitchen-range to boil a tea-kettle, than, with proper management, would be sufficient to cook a good dinner for fifty men." (Essay x. p. SI.) 1489. The Distribution of the different Fittings-up and Fixtures of a Kitchen ought to be regulated by convenience to the cook, cleanliness in all the operations of cookery, and, as far as practicable, architectural symmetry in the general appearance. An Architect, before he arranges a kitchen. Count Rumford remarks, will do wisely to consult the cook ; because it will be in vain to attempt to introduce any improvement which does not meet with the approbation of those who are to use it. He recommends an exact plan of the kitchen being taken, and the exact situation of all the doors, windows, and flues dis- tinctly marked ; as well as a list made of the number and dimensions of all the boilers, roasters, stewpans, &c., which are to be fitted iqi in brickwork. 1490. In mukiiiq a Plan for fitting up a Kitchen, the readiest way of proceeding. Count Rumford observes, is to form it on tlie floor of the room ; and, in doing this, the work will be much facilitated by the following very simple contrivance. Cut out of thick pasteboard, detached pieces to represent the boilers, saucepans, &c., which are to be fitted up in the brickwork ; and, placing these in different ways on the plan of the room, see in what manner they can best be disposed or arranged. As these models (which must be drawn to the same scale as that used in drawing the i)lan of the room) may be moved about at pleasure, and placed in an infinite variety of different positions in regard to each other, and to the different parts of the room ; the effect of any proposed arrangement may be tried in a few moments, in a very satisfactory manner, without expense, and almost without any trouble. To facilitate still more tliese preliminary trials with these models of the boilers, several slips of pasteboard, equal in width to the distance at which one boiler ought to be placed from the other in the brickwork, measured on the scale of the plan, should be provided, and used in placing the models of the boilers at proper distances from each other. This distance, in fitting iqi or setting kitchen boilers and saucepans, may be commonly taken at the width of a brick, or four inches and a half; and may be allowed the same sj)ace (four inches and a half), for the distance of the side of the boiler from the outside or front of the mass of the brickwork in which it is set. When this point is settled (that respecting the distance which should be left between the boilers), the arranging of the pasteboard models of the boilers on the jjlan will be perfectly easy. 1491. As soon as the Distribution of the various Boilers, Sfc, is final/i/ settled, a ground plan of the wliole of the machinery should be traced on the plan of the room ; and a .sufficient number of sections and elevations should be drawn, to show the situations, forms, and dimensions of the fireplaces, and of all the other parts of the apparatus. When this is done, and when the boilers and the materials for building are provided, and every thing else that can be wanted in fitting up the kitchen is in readiness, the Architect or amateur may proceed to the laying out of the work. As this will not be found to be