42 CHEMICAL ACTION. 



Q. Why would not WOOD do WITHOUT 

 shavings, straw, or paper ? 



A. Because wood is too substantial 

 to be heated into combustion, by the 

 flame issuing from a mere match. 



Q. Why would not the paper do as well, if 

 placed on the TOP of the coals ? 



A. As every blaze tends upwards, if 

 the paper were placed on the top of the 

 fire, its blaze would afford no contact 

 of flame to fuel lying below. 



Q. Why should COAL be placed ABOVE the 

 wood 9 



A. As every flame tends up- 

 wards, if the wood were above the 

 coal, the flame would not rise through 

 the coal to heat it. 



Q. Why is a FIRE KINDLED at the LOWEST 

 BAE of a grate ? 



A. As every flame tends upwards; 

 when a flame is made at the 

 bottom of a fire, it ascends through the 

 fuel and heats it : whereas, if the fire 

 were lighted from the top, the flame 

 would not come into contact with the fuel 

 piled below. 



