es fully charged, and call for them when discharged.
Without a stretch of the imagination, we can imagine an ingenious
farmer possessing a water-power electric plant building up a thriving
business among his less fortunate neighbors, with an "electricity"
route. It could be made quite as paying as a milk route.

[Illustration: Connections for charging storage batteries on 110-volt
mains]

Many communities have water or steam power at a distance too great to
transmit 110-volt current by wire economically; and because of lack of
expert supervision, they do not care to risk using current at a
pressure of 500 volts or higher, because of its danger to human life.

In such a case it would be quite feasible for families to wire their
houses, and carry their batteries to the generating plant two or
three times a week to be charged. There are a number of portable
batteries on the market suitable for such service, at voltages ranging
from 6 to 32 volts. The best results would be obtained by having two
batteries, leaving one to be charged while the other was in use; and
if the generating station was located at the creamery or feed mill,
where the farmer calls regularly, the trouble would be reduced to a
minimum.

Such a battery would necessarily be small, and of the sealed type,
similar to those used in automobiles. It could be used merely for
reading lamps--or it could be used for general lighting, according to
the expense the farmer is willing to incur for batteries.

An ordinary storage battery used in automobile ignition and lighting
systems is of the 6-volt, 60-ampere type, called in trade a "6-60."
Lamps can be had for these batteries ranging in sizes from 2
candlepower to 25 candlepower. A lamp of 15 candlepower, drawing 2-1/2
amperes, is used for automobile headlights, and, as any one knows
after an experience of meeting a headlight on a dark road, they give a
great deal of light. A "6-60" battery keeps one of these lamps running
for 24 hours, or two lamps running 12 hours. A minimum of wiring would
be required to install such a battery for the reading lights in the
sitting room, and for a hanging light in the dining room. The
customary gates for charging these batteries in a large city is 10
cents; but in a country plant it could be made less.

To charge such a battery on a 110-volt direct current, it is necessary
to install some means of limiting the amount of current, or in other
words, the charging rate. This ch