Fires have often been occasioned by
careless storing of hot ashes.
Put into the fire-box, first, shavings or loose rolls of news-
paper, letting them come close to the front; then fine pine
kindlings, arranged crosswise, that the air may circulate
freely between the pieces ; be careful to have them touch
each end of the fire-box that the coal may not drop through
to the grate. Then put on enough hard wood, arranged in
the same manner, to come nearly to the top of the fire-box.
Put on the covers, open the dampers, and brush the dust off
the stove.
Moisten some stove-polish with cold water, and put
it on the stove with the " dauber." Rub the blacking
in thoroughly, then light the paper from below the grate,
and while the fire is kindling polish the stove with the dry
polishing brush. Blacken the stove while it is cold, but
polish as it begins to heat.
When the wood is well kindled, put in a few more pieces
of hard wood, and press the coals down to the grate. Put
on coal enough to cover the wood, and when this has kindled
fill the fire-box to the top of the lining. By making sure that
the hard wood kindles first, and adding the coal gradually,
much trouble is saved; for unless the kindling be well
seasoned, part hard wood, and plenty used, it will either
not kindle or will burn out before the hard coal kindles,
and then the coal must be removed and the fire rebuilt.
STOVES AND RANGES 47
The blazing heat from the wood alone warms the stove,
and the oven quickly becomes hot. If you have charcoal
or Franklin coal, it may be put on at first with the wood.
When the blue flame is no longer seen, close the oven
damper ; and as soon as the coal is burning freely, shut the
front damper. Then regulate the fire by the slide or damper
in the pipe.
While making and watching the fire, empty the tea-
kettle, wipe out the inside, fill it and the reservoir with
fresh water, — never from the hot-water tank, — finish
polishing the sides and back of the range, and brush up
the hearth and floor.
When a hot fire is needed for several hours, add a sprin-
kling of new coal before the first has burned out, and add to it
often enough to keep the fire at a uniform heat. Be careful
not to cover and thus check the fire, and never have the
coal above the top of the lining.
When the fire is not needed for the present, add a little
fresh coal, and close all the dampers in two or three minutes,
or as soon as the blue flame disappears. Never shut off all
the draught on a red-hot fire without putting on a little
fresh coal, if you wish to keep it in good condition to use
again. It is important to remember that when all the coals
are red they are nearly burned out, and will not give out heat
for so long a time as when partly black and partly red.
Page 27
Presented as published in 1915. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Fires have often been occasioned by careless storing of hot ashes.
Put into the fire-box, first, shavings or loose rolls of newspaper, letting them come close to the front; then fine pine kindlings, arranged crosswise, that the air may circulate freely between the pieces ; be careful to have them touch each end of the fire-box that the coal may not drop through to the grate. Then put on enough hard wood, arranged in the same manner, to come nearly to the top of the fire-box. Put on the covers, open the dampers, and brush the dust off the stove.
Moisten some stove-polish with cold water, and put it on the stove with the " dauber." Rub the blacking in thoroughly, then light the paper from below the grate, and while the fire is kindling polish the stove with the dry polishing brush. Blacken the stove while it is cold, but polish as it begins to heat.
When the wood is well kindled, put in a few more pieces of hard wood, and press the coals down to the grate. Put on coal enough to cover the wood, and when this has kindled fill the fire-box to the top of the lining. By making sure that the hard wood kindles first, and adding the coal gradually, much trouble is saved; for unless the kindling be well seasoned, part hard wood, and plenty used, it will either not kindle or will burn out before the hard coal kindles, and then the coal must be removed and the fire rebuilt.
STOVES AND RANGES 47
The blazing heat from the wood alone warms the stove, and the oven quickly becomes hot. If you have charcoal or Franklin coal, it may be put on at first with the wood.
When the blue flame is no longer seen, close the oven damper ; and as soon as the coal is burning freely, shut the front damper. Then regulate the fire by the slide or damper in the pipe.
While making and watching the fire, empty the teakettle, wipe out the inside, fill it and the reservoir with fresh water, — never from the hot-water tank, — finish polishing the sides and back of the range, and brush up the hearth and floor.
When a hot fire is needed for several hours, add a sprinkling of new coal before the first has burned out, and add to it often enough to keep the fire at a uniform heat. Be careful not to cover and thus check the fire, and never have the coal above the top of the lining.
When the fire is not needed for the present, add a little fresh coal, and close all the dampers in two or three minutes, or as soon as the blue flame disappears. Never shut off all the draught on a red-hot fire without putting on a little fresh coal, if you wish to keep it in good condition to use again. It is important to remember that when all the coals are red they are nearly burned out, and will not give out heat for so long a time as when partly black and partly red.