CHAPTER III 



LIGHTING THE HOME 



What advantages has each of the methods now 

 used for lighting the home ? 



Early means of lighting. As we have already seen, methods 

 of heating have gone through many changes, beginning with 

 crude devices used by primitive people. In a similar way 

 methods of lighting have undergone many changes, begin- 

 ning with the simplest forms used thousands of years ago. 

 Probably the first method of lighting was a torch made by 

 setting fire to the end of a stick. This was the 

 only means used for many hundreds of years. 

 In time crude forms of candles appeared, and 

 these were gradually improved until now we 

 have our modern candle. At first candles were 

 made by hand by dipping a string into melted 

 tallow and allowing it to cool, and then dipping 

 again until the desired size was obtained. To- 

 day candles are made by machinery by pouring 

 the melted paraffin into molds, through the 

 center of which hang strings. 



In our own country torches were frequently 

 used by the early settlers. Lincoln learned to read by the 

 light of pine knots. The candle was very widely used even 

 during the first half of the last century. 



Early lamps. Another means of lighting used in early 

 along with the torch was a crude form of lamp. This 

 D 33 



