HOUSEHOLD HINTS. 



these circumstances scream wildly and throw 

 their arms out of the windows, thus exposing 

 themselves to the chance of broken limbs. If run 

 away with in a gig, either sit still collectedly, or drop 

 down behind, endeavour to run for a short dis- 

 tance by holding on to the back, and then let go, 

 and be prepared to fall on your hands. Never 

 jump from a rapidly moving vehicle, unless sup- 

 posing it impossible to slip down behind you see 

 a precipice in front, in which case it is better to 

 get out at all hazards. 



MANAGEMENT OF FUEL AND WATER. 



To light a Fire, clear the ashes from the grate, 

 and cover the bottom with a layer of fresh coals 

 about the size of road-metal. On this lay a small 

 heap of shreds of paper, and round the paper dis- 

 pose some small sticks on end with their tops 

 leaning against one another, as soldiers pile their 

 muskets. Around the sticks a layer of smallish 

 coal should now be built, the top being left open, 

 or covered with cinders. The whole charge of 

 coals should not be put on until this is well kindled. 

 When the sticks begin to blaze, the coals under 

 them will be seen to smoke and burst into flame 

 before any of the rest. It is a mistake to put 

 cinders in the bottom, for they are difficult to 

 kindle. Their place is on the top, where they 

 become red in the flames without causing smoke. 

 A fire arranged as now described kindles with 

 very little smoke ; and it is surprising how little 

 wood suffices, if the pieces are cut short, and of 

 varying thickness. The thinner pieces should be 

 put next the paper, and two or three thicker pieces 

 outside. No more paper should be used than is 

 sufficient to set fire to the wood. A very effective 

 fire-lighter or reviver, composed of sawdust and 

 coal-tar, is now to be had in the shops for the 

 merest trifle. 



Economical Fuel. In places where coal is 

 scarce and dear, a tolerably good fuel may be 

 made by mixing the culm or refuse dross of coal 

 with clay, and moistening the whole with water 

 masses in the form of bricks or balls may be 

 made, which, when dry, will burn with an intense 

 heat. But without any preparation, the refuse of 

 the coal-cellar can always be utilised, when once a 

 good fire has been established, by bringing forward 

 the hot coals to the front of the grate, and putting 

 a shovelful of small coal at the back. A fire thus 

 made up will keep good for hours. The refuse 

 should be used up in this way, as it is formed, and 

 not allowed to accumulate till all the whole coals 

 are done. 



Smoky Chimneys. The causes of smokiness in 

 chimneys are various ; but all are connected with 

 the properties of air and heat, for the smoke is 

 only particles of soot ascending through the 

 agency of heated air. To make a chimney vent 

 well, the column of heated air from the fire must 

 not be entangled with cold air from beneath, nor 

 retarded by cold air coming down the chimney. 

 To effect these objects, the fireplace must not be 

 much larger than the grate, and the chimney must 

 be of a certain length. The great leading cause . 

 of smokiness is cold air somehow or other mixing 

 with the warm air about the mouth or throat of 

 the chimney, and so causing a sluggishness in the 

 ascent, or no ascent at all. Therefore, the nearer 

 the air is made to pass the fire on all sides, the 



more rarefied it will be ; and the less vacancy there 

 is in the chimney-place, it will ascend with the 

 greater rapidity. A proper contraction of the 

 mouth of the chimney, the fire at the same time 

 being aUowed to be fed freely with air, will be 

 found in most instances to cure smoke. It 

 should be noted, that in contracting chimney- 

 throats, the contraction should not be all at once, 

 but at first gradual, and then straight upward, so 

 as not to allow a volume of cold air to lurk in a 

 hollow above. A flue wide at bottom, and 

 gradually narrowing towards the next story, 

 allows the coldish air to hang about the lower 

 parts, by which, when a gust of wind comes, the 

 smoke is driven back into the room. This kind 

 of smokiness is the most teasing of all the forms 

 of chimney disease. Every little puff of wind 

 sends a smaller or larger quantity of smoke into 

 the apartment, and often when it is least expected. 

 Perhaps this kind of smokiness is not in all cases 

 caused by wrong construction, but arises from the 

 situation of the house ; and of this we shall 

 immediately say a few words. 



Cases are by no means uncommon of fireplaces 

 giving out a puff of smoke every time the door 

 of the room is shut The cause of this kind of 

 smokiness is the want of a sufficient supply of 

 fresh air into the room. In shutting the door, 

 it draws out a certain quantity of air, which 

 cannot be afforded to be lost, or it causes such 

 distraction of the current towards the fire, that 

 the force that carries up the smoke is destroyed, 

 and a puff downward in other words, a rush 

 of air, loaded with smoke from the chimney 

 is the consequence. It will be remarked that 

 this smokiness occurs most frequently when the 

 door is on the same side of the room as the 

 fireplace an arrangement to be avoided. A 

 remedy for this smokiness is to contract the 

 mouth of the chimney, and, if possible, heighten 

 the stalk ; for if the chimney be pretty long, the 

 heated air ascending it goes with such a force 

 that the outer heavy air cannot get down, at least 

 not to so great an extent as to cause a puff when 

 the door is shutting. In some cases, the cause of 

 the disease will be found to be air rushing up 

 behind the grate, if a register, and then coming 

 down to supply the fire, the action of the door 

 disturbing the current. This is, therefore, an argu- 

 ment for always taking care to build register- 

 stoves quite close behind, not leaving the smallest 

 crevice for air to steal up the chimney without 

 first going through the fire. As regards curing 

 smokiness, we have already referred to Wright's 

 patent bivalves. 



In erecting chimneys, it should be a rule to 

 carry them up a good way in a perpendicular 

 direction before making a turn, by which means 

 the heated air gains a force in its primary vertical 

 ascent which carries it over future difficulties. It 

 is also advantageous for all chimneys to have a 

 bend in them before reaching the top, and a 

 garret-chimney should have two bends. For 

 want of attention to this top-bending, many cot- 

 tage and small villa chimneys smoke. The use of 

 bends is obvious : strong, sudden, and accidental 

 gusts of wind sometimes enter, and beat into the 

 top of the chimney ; a turning or bend, therefore, 

 will break the force of the wind, and prevent it 

 repelling the heated air downward. But if the 

 chimney is straight, and the gust meet with no 



