he brick with the trowel, so as to fit the
wall and rest more safely--cautiously covering them well with clay, &c.
and closing every crevice or aperture, to prevent smoak from coming
thro' or the heat from deserting the flue till it passes to the chimney
from the flue; then fill the still with water, and put a flow fire under
her to dry the work. When the wall begins to dry, lay on a coat of
mortar, (such as the next receipt directs), about two inches thick, when
this begins to dry, lay a white coat of lime and sand-mortar, smoothing
well with a trowel; rubbing it constantly and pressing it severely with
the trowel to prevent it from cracking.

There are many modes of setting stills and bringing the fire up by flues
variously constructed, but I have found the foregoing plan to afford as
great a saving of fuel, and bringing the still to a boil as early as any
other.

ART. II.

_How to prevent the Plastering round Stills from cracking._

This method of making water proof plastering on stills, is done entirely
in making the mortar, and putting it on, in making which, good clay and
lime are absolutely necessary.

When the mortar for the first coat is thoroughly worked, put as much
brock of rye straw into it, as can be worked in, so that when the coat
is put on, it may have a greater appearance of straw than mortar, when
dry, and covered with the second coat composed of lime mortar, well
rubbed and pressed with the trowel until it be dry. A covering put on of
those materials, will be found to continue firm and compact without
cracking, as in the common mode.

_The best method of boiling two, three or more Stills or Kettles with
one fire or furnace._

This method has been found to answer in some instances, and may perhaps
do generally if properly managed. I will here give the result of my own
experiments.

I set a singling still holding 180 gallons on a furnace of 18 by 14
inches, and 4 feet six inches long, with the bottom to the fire, she had
a common head and worm with scrapers and chains in her. I extended the
flue, (or after passing it round her), to the doubling still which it
likewise went round--but to prevent too much heat from passing to the
doubling still, I fixed a shutter in the flue of the singling still,
immediately above the intersection of the flue of the doubling still, to
turn all the heat round her, and another shutter in the flue of the
doubling still at the intersection of the flue of the sin