ason Why--General Science, containing 1,400
Reasons for things generally believed but imperfectly understood."
London: Houlston and Sons.]

984. Cheap Fuel

One bushel of small coal or sawdust, or both mixed together, two
bushels of sand, one bushel and a half of clay. Let these be mixed
together with common water, like ordinary mortar; the more they are
stirred and mixed together the better; then make them into balls, or,
with a small mould, in the shape of bricks, pile them in a dry place,
and use when hard and sufficiently dry. A fire cannot be lighted with
them, but when the fire is lighted, put two or three on behind with
some coals in front, and the fire will be found to last longer than if
made up in the ordinary way.

985. Economy of Fuel.

There is no part of domestic economy which everybody professes to
understand better than the management of a fire, and yet there is no
branch in the household arrangement where there is a greater
proportional and unnecessary waste than arises from ignorance and
mismanagement in this article.

986. The Use of the Poker.

The use of the poker should be confined to two particular points--the
opening of a dying fire, so as to admit the free passage of the air
into it, and sometimes, but not always, through it; or else, drawing
together the remains of a half-burned fire, so as to concentrate the
heat, whilst the parts still ignited are opened to the atmosphere.

987. The Use of Bellows (1).

When using a pair of bellows to a fire only partially ignited, or
partially extinguished, blow, at first, not into the part that is
still alight, but into the dead coals close to it, so that the air may
partly extend to the burning coal.

988. The Use of Bellows (2).

After a few blasts blow into the burning fuel, directing the stream
partly towards the dead coal, when it will be found that the ignition
will extend much more rapidly than under the common method of blowing
furiously into the flame at random.

989. Ordering Coals.

If the consumer, instead of ordering a large supply of coals at once,
will at first content himself with a sample, he may with very little
trouble ascertain who will deal fairly with him; and, if he wisely
pays ready money, he will be independent of his coal merchant; a
situation which few families, even in genteel life, can boast of.

990. The Truest Economy (1).

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