How to Build a Fire. — Remove the covers from the top of the stove and brush the soot and ashes into the fire box. Clean everything out of the fire box by shaking the grate so the ashes will fall into the ash pan. Place crumpled newspaper, shavings, or small pieces of soft wood in the bottom of the fire box; then put in some soft wood, then hard wood, arranged loosely so that the air can pass through. Place the wood so it reaches the corners of the fire box and is not massed in the middle. Open the damp- ers in the fire box, chimney, and oven, and then light the fire. Apply the match to the substance that will kindle quickest. The fire should be lighted at the bottom so that the flame will ascend. As the fire burns freely, put on more fuel, but the fire box should never be more than three fourths full. When the fire is well started close the front draft, partially close the chimney draft, and if the oven is to be used close the oven draft. Ashes should be emptied every day. If left in the stove until they fill the ash pan and touch the grate at the bottom of the fire box, they destroy the grate. The oven should be kept clean. If anything has boiled over and burned on the bottom of the oven, it should be scraped off with an old knife. : The best time to black the stove is while the fire is start- ing. Use very little blacking, but brush it thoroughly over all parts of the stove. A steel range requires no black- ing, simply washing. GENERAL DIRECTIONS 15 Suggestions for Cooking with Gas. —1. See that the stove is kept clean. 2. Keep the burners free from grease, dust, and dirt. 3. To light a burner, open the valve leading to the burner to be used, allow the gas to flow a second, and then apply the match. 4. To light the oven, apply the lighted ‘matth to the oven pilot and then turn on the gas. If the gas is turned on too long before it is lighted, there is danger of an explo- sion. For the same reason the oven door should be opened before the pilot is lighted. 5. Never leave a burner lighted because you are going to use it soon; when the gas is not in use, turn it out, and light it again when needed. Matches are cheaper than gas. 6. Never light a burner until you are ready to use it. As soon as the food begins to boil, turn the gas as low as possible. Food is cooking just as fast when it is bubbling slightly as when it is boiling over the top of the kettle, and there is less danger that it will burn. Food tastes better cooked in this way. After food has started to cook, it is almost impossible to use too little heat; foods are spoiled by the use of too great heat and gas is wasted. When you waste gas, you are burning money that could be used to purchase food or clothing. 7. When baking bread, put the bread in the cold oven, light the gas and let the oven heat slowly for the first ten minutes, increase the heat for the next fifteen minutes, and then finish baking at a moderate temperature. 8. Learn to read your gas meter, for if properly handled and looked after, gas is more satisfactory to cook with than wood or coal and more economical. CONLEY P. C.—2 16 GENERAL DIRECTIONS Directions for Reading a Gas Meter. — The small dial marked two feet is not to be considered. It is used for - testing purposes. Each figure on the right-hand dial indi-— cates 100 cubic feet; on the middle dial each figure indi- cates 1oco cubic feet; and on the ieft-hand dial each figure indicates 10,000 cubic feet. When meters are new all pointers are at o, but never again are in this position until exactly too,c0o cubic feet have been passed. Read from left dial to right, always cuBIC (cea) FEET NCUS4, nous AWOUS, 5 io Wor, 30 90 nN LEFT LHOIY

AI-modernized reading of the original text

How to Build a Fire. — Remove the covers from the top of the stove and brush the soot and ashes into the fire box. Clean everything out of the fire box by shaking the grate so the ashes will fall into the ash pan. Place crumpled newspaper, shavings, or small pieces of soft wood in the bottom of the fire box; then put in some soft wood, then hard wood, arranged loosely so that the air can pass through. Place the wood so it reaches the corners of the fire box and is not massed in the middle. Open the dampers in the fire box, chimney, and oven, and then light the fire. Apply the match to the substance that will kindle quickest. The fire should be lighted at the bottom so that the flame will ascend. As the fire burns freely, put on more fuel, but the fire box should never be more than three fourths full. When the fire is well started close the front draft, partially close the chimney draft, and if the oven is to be used close the oven draft. Ashes should be emptied every day. If left in the stove until they fill the ash pan and touch the grate at the bottom of the fire box, they destroy the grate. The oven should be kept clean. If anything has boiled over and burned on the bottom of the oven, it should be scraped off with an old knife. : The best time to black the stove is while the fire is starting. Use very little blacking, but brush it thoroughly over all parts of the stove. A steel range requires no blacking, simply washing. Suggestions for Cooking with Gas. —1. See that the stove is kept clean. 2. Keep the burners free from grease, dust, and dirt. 3. To light a burner, open the valve leading to the burner to be used, allow the gas to flow a second, and then apply the match. 4. To light the oven, apply the lighted match to the oven pilot and then turn on the gas. If the gas is turned on too long before it is lighted, there is danger of an explosion. For the same reason the oven door should be opened before the pilot is lighted. 5. Never leave a burner lighted because you are going to use it soon; when the gas is not in use, turn it out, and light it again when needed. Matches are cheaper than gas. 6. Never light a burner until you are ready to use it. As soon as the food begins to boil, turn the gas as low as possible. Food is cooking just as fast when it is bubbling slightly as when it is boiling over the top of the kettle, and there is less danger that it will burn. Food tastes better cooked in this way. After food has started to cook, it is almost impossible to use too little heat; foods are spoiled by the use of too great heat and gas is wasted. When you waste gas, you are burning money that could be used to purchase food or clothing. 7. When baking bread, put the bread in the cold oven, light the gas and let the oven heat slowly for the first ten minutes, increase the heat for the next fifteen minutes, and then finish baking at a moderate temperature. 8. Learn to read your gas meter, for if properly handled and looked after, gas is more satisfactory to cook with than wood or coal and more economical. Directions for Reading a Gas Meter. — The small dial marked two feet is not to be considered. It is used for - testing purposes. Each figure on the right-hand dial indi-— cates 100 cubic feet; on the middle dial each figure indicates 1oco cubic feet; and on the ieft-hand dial each figure indicates 10,000 cubic feet. When meters are new all pointers are at o, but never again are in this position until exactly too,c0o cubic feet have been passed. Read from left dial to right, always [illustration: CUBIC FEET measurement dial with LEFT dial visible]

Principles of cooking