T]iE Bulletin. 49 



No profession has made f^reator progress in the last two decades, and 1 

 rejoice with you iu it. You, as wives, have your share in this progress — all 

 these years you have coiiperated with your Imshands, and by sympathy, sup- 

 port, and economy liave lielpod to eipiip tiio farm witli the best modern imple- 

 menls in order tliat tlie old farm miglit yield its l)est results. This is right. 

 Cooperation is the lioynote to happiness and success ; but cooperation must not 

 stop with the farm. It is your turn now to have the labor-saving devices in 

 the home to help make progress greater on the farm. We know that when 

 peace, quiet, and happiness reign in the home, the same good feclhu/ exists 

 all over the farm. If the head of the house starts to his day's work with his 

 body well nourished by good, wholesome food, and his mind filled with peace- 

 ful, tranquil thoughts, his day's work is going to be a satisfactory one— if not 

 an enthusiastic one. How can we keep this state of peace and sunshine in 

 the home when there is so much to be done? I answer, it can be kept by 

 saving your physical strength — that is. by planning your work, and by the 

 exi)enditure of a little money for the labor-saving devices to keep you, as you 

 deserve to be, fresh in mind and body. 



In order that you may see how you may save your energy and strength, I 

 have brought with me a box — a heat conserver, more commonly known as a 

 lireless cooker— which I had built at the small cost of about $2..50, not count- 

 ing the mechanic's labor. It is so simple in mechanism that a child can 

 luiderstand. 



PLAN OF BUILDING. 



1. The outer box. marked 1 in the cut, is built of good, heavy ^-ineh lumber. 



2. The vacuum, marked 2 in the cut, is a 2-inch space, filled with mineral 

 wool or asbestos and magnesia. 



3. The division, marked 3, is the inner box made of 1-inch lumber. 



4. Asbestos sheeting of good quality is used to cover bottom, sides, ends, 

 aud lid. 



5. In order that the box may be kept clean, the inner surface is lined with 

 galvanized iron. 



PLAN OF HEATING. 



In the country, where it is impossible to have the convenience of the city 

 kitchen, the housekeeper, by thinking aud planning, can save a great amount 

 of hot. hard labor and fuel by heating the ordinary chimney brick or soap- 

 stone during the time the breakfast fire is burning, or in the winter they may 

 be heated in the open fire. A small alcohol stove or a blue-flame oil stove is 

 a great convenience in the summer ; especially is this true when brick are 

 used for fuel in the box, as they do not hold intense heat as long as the soap- 

 stones. A universal alcohol stove, one burner, costs about $3, and burns 

 about 2 cents worth of alcohol per hour if well regulated. 



DEMONSTRATION. 



In order to do a good day's work we must think ahead. If we are to have 

 several vegetables from our garden for dinner, w^e should gather them in the 

 cooler part of the day before we wish to cook them. While the breakfast fire 

 is burning in the range the fuel may be heated for the box. When breakfast 

 is over, put the dishes in a pan of cold water and leave tbem until later. Pre- 

 pare the dinner vegetables, soups, meats, etc., and place on the hot brick or 

 soapstone in the box, and keep the box closed until it is necessary to open it. 

 After this is done, the dishes will wash easily and with plenty of boiling 

 water to sterilize them, the drying and polishing will be quickly done. If 

 work is planned in this way the cleaning in the average household will be 

 done by 8:30 or 9 o'clock, and the remainder of the morning is yours to use 

 in the "various needs and pleasures of the home until it is time to serve the 

 dinner. If we wish beans, potatoes, and okra for dinner, and we have no 

 aluminum boiler with a tight cover, we can use a clean bucket or can with a 

 tight lid on it. and by using just enough water in the can to form steam all 

 of the vegetables may be cooked iu the one vessel on one brick. If strong 



December — 4 



