FoodNet

A manual of home-making

1919

Page 105

Presented as published in 1919. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
When the demand for heat is urgent or the fire must be built up quickly, the fuel-[3ed nmst be kept uniformly thick, but not too tliick, using the coarser part of the coal and all the draft available. Air will then flow freely through the entire fuel-bed and bum the coal at a maximum rate. Under such conditions, the firings should be made at frequent intervals and small charges used, so that the fresh fuel will only for a short time chill the temi>eraturc of the fire pot. When heavy firings are made the fresh fuel not only increiises the resistance to flow of air through the fuel-bed, so that the rate of combustion is low- ercfl, but it acts as a cold blanket to screen the heating surfaces from the radiant heat of the fucl-iieth In mild weather it is well to leave on the grates a layer of ashes under the active fyel4>etL This layer will increase the resistance to the flow of air through the fuel-lied and facilitate the maintenance of the low rate of combustion required in such weather; also, it will cut off some of the grate surface. Clinkers should be kept worked out of the fuel-bed, for they itt 200 A MANUAL OF HOME-MAKING obstruct t he flow of air through it^ clog iho grates, and may break the parts tif sliaking gratt?s. Heating surfaces, or Oues as they are sometimes called if the heater be a l:>oilcr, must be swept clean so that they will readily absorb heat. Soot cuts down the heat-absorbing power of any heating surface veiy rapidly, and, t herefoitv, should not be al- lowed to accumulate. Ashes should iifit Ix* allowcxi to pile up under the grates in the ash pit, for they will seal off the air from part, of the grate surface and may cause tlie grate-bars to be burned and warped. Coal as free from slate and ash as possible should be pur- chased. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF VARIOUS FtrELS Some of the advantages and disadvantages of various fuels for re^sidenee heating have l>een mentioned. Tlie*se and some others are summarized in the table on page 201: LIGHTING Although electricity is in many ways the most desirable form of artificial light, other lights may still have certain advantages. The most effective use of any type of light should be studied for both economic and hygienic rea^sons. Types of lights and their care. Candles. The use of candles is now limited almost entirely to decora- tive lighting. Candle hght is expensive in compariiKjn with other lights. Kerosene, Kerosene gives a soft light that is easy on the eyes if it m properly shaded by a slightly liluish chimney. The disadvan- tages of kerosene lighting are tfic labor of cleaning and tilling the lamps^ the odor and the vitiation of the air, and the danger of explosion. Following are some suggestions for the care of Jrerotsane lamps: I HEAT AND LIGHT 201 TABLE Xr*-ADVAMTAOW AWD DmADVANTAOEfl OF VaJOIOCS FuBUI ANt> Of ELKCnttCITT » Fud Wood. Asibracite Bituminous con] SubbiiuraiDous coal and kigmte. Peat.. Coke. Oil Gas Electricity. AdtatdageM (o) Cteauliiicss. ifA cheerful fire, (c) quit^k ttiicruase of heat, (d> cheap in some localities. (ti) Clean linciw, {h) wwy control of fin*. {0 eiisier to realise beui iQ cTial than im the case with oLh«?r rrmb, (</) «t<eady ht"«L (it) Low nripe, {h) &va\XvAn\i\y, <c} high beat value (in tho b(»t ($ruic^), id) low pc'rroiittt^p d inert mat l«r (in the be»t gradcfl).