Foods and home making

What should we know about using kerosene and gasoline stoves? Accidents sometimes result from the use of kerosene stoves. Often these accidents are caused by filling a kerosene stove while it is lighted. No matter how hurried one may be this should never be done. Always turn out kerosene burners and let them cool before filling the stove with kerosene. Of course, it is very inconvenient to do this in the midst of getting a meal. Most of the kerosene containers on stoves are glass. One should notice before starting a meal if there is enough kerosene to finish the cooking. Although kerosene stoves may be both comfortable and con- venient to use in places where there is no gas, their burners need much care. Bits of carbon collect in the burners. These must be removed to prevent the formation of smoke or soot. Daily rather than occasional care is needed to keep a kerosene stove in good condition. There are several types of kerosene stoves, the chief kinds being the wick and wickless types. A wick kerosene stove has cotton wicks. These become saturated with kerosene. When a match is applied to the wick, the kerosene on the wick vapor- izes and then burns. The end of the wick becomes charred. This charred part should be removed. Do not cut it. Wrap pieces of soft paper around the thumb and first finger. Then carefully pick off the charred part of the wick. (See Figure 61.) Refrigerators — Stoves and Firebuiiding 1 8 1 Care should be taken not to make the wick uneven when remov- ing the charred edge. Most of the so-called wickless kerosene stoves really have wicks, but the wicks are asbestos instead of cotton. Such burn- ers need to be cleaned regularly. The metal chimney of a wickless burner may be removed. The burner and asbestos wick may then be cleaned by brushing with a whisk broom or stiff brush kept for that purpose. The holes of the burner may be pierced with a skewer. If brushing does not re- moved the carbon, it should be scraped off. The same caution should be taken in filling a gasoline stove as a kerosene. Gasoline is more inflammable than kerosene. A gasoline stove should never he filled when the gasoline is burning or the burners are hot. What are the advan- tages and disadvantages of an electric stove? An electric stove is clean. No soot or other dirty substances are formed by an electric stove. Such a stove is also easy to operate. Electric stoves are usually very well insulated. Many of them are equipped with fireless cooking devices. Good. Housekeeping Institute Figure 61. Cleaning the Wick of a Kerosene Stove A wick cannot be trimmed evenly. It is better to pick off the charred part. Paper wrapped around the thumb and first finger will help protect them from the stain and odor of the charred wick. 182 Modern Housewifery It costs more to install an electric stove than other kinds of stoves. The cost of operating it is also greater. However, if care is taken in using the current, the cost of running may be greatly lessened. Because most electric stoves are well insul- ated, a good deal of cooking can be continued after the current is turned off.