A manual of home-making

The most desirable fuels are, as a rule, the most expensive. It may be possible to burn some of the smaller siz(»s of anthra- cite with the furnace or egg size and thus elTect a saving. The price a ton of these smaller sizes is less in prf>portion to their calorific value because they are in less demand and they can be need to advantage in banking the fire overnight or in e^rrj'- ing a slow fire in moderate* weather. Pea coal is proljably the best size for such use, but unfortunately it and the smaller sizes are obtained with difficulty in many of the markets where the larger, or domestic, sizes are sold. Among the various kinds and grades of bituminous coal^ the differences in fuel value and in their physical e:haracter- HEAT AND LIGHT istics are much greater thau among anthracites, and for that reason sliould recoive esi>eiial attention. In every locality a number of coals will be available and tlie most satisfactory one in any parlicuiar cime will usually have to be determined by trial, unless the characteristics of each and the effects of these are known. Uniformity of size is a desirable eharaeteristic, as it permits easier control of the fire. This is particularly true of anthracite, a mixture of sizes often accounting for poor results from a cer- tain lot of coah Sized or screened Ijituminous coal may be bought for its greater cooveiueoce, even though its cost may exceed that of lump coal or run-of-niine. In some localities alack coal has been burned successful ly, althou|0;h it is liclicved that this would not ordinarily be possible because of the strong draft required. Care offurnuce. The heater should receive regular attention^ and if the de- mands for heat are intelligently anticipated, as they ordinarily can be, the house can be warmed with minimum trouble and fuel. When the rooms become too warm, the fire should be checked by stopping the admission of air under the grate and decreasing the draft by opening the ** cheek damper.'' If, as often is done, the ash-pit damj>er or the ash-pit door be allowed to remain opeo» and the draft n^Juced by opening the fire door, the combustion of the fuel continues, although at a slower rate, but the cold air entering the fire door chills the heater so that little heat is realize*! from the coal. Sometimes the ihaft is so strong that the difficulty of con- trolling the fire is increased, especially when the demand for heat is small or the fire is to be banked. To facihtate control under such conditions, it is usually advisable to have^ besides the check damper, a plain damper in the smoke pipe. This damper should tit the smoke pipe loosely and must never be en- tirely closed : during most of t!ie heating season it can be kept partly closed, but during severe weather, when more heat is required, it can be opened wide. Sometimes the draft may be i A MANUAL OF HOME-MAKING insufficient to hum Ihe neeensary quantity of the particular fuel used. If such a condition is always noticed in severe weather, the heater may be too small, the smoke pipe may be choked or be poorly fitted to the heater or to the chimney, or the chimney may be tpo small or be olistructed by soot or debris.