222 RUSH CANDLES. 



other feats, soon becomes familiar even to chil- 

 dren ; and we have seen an old woman stone 

 blind, performing this business with great dispatch, 

 and seldom failing to strip them with the nicest 

 regularity. When these junci are thus far pre- 

 pared, they must lie out on the grass to be bleached, 

 and take the dew for some nights, and afterwards 

 be dried in the sun. 



Some address is required in dipping these rushes 

 in the scalding fat, or grease ; but this knack also 

 is to be attained by practice. The careful wife of 

 an industrious Hampshire labourer obtains all her 

 fat for nothing ; for she saves the scummings of 

 her bacon-pot for this use ; and if the grease 

 abounds with salt, she causes the salt to preci- 

 pitate to the bottom, by setting the scummings 

 in a warm oven. Where hogs are not much in 

 use, and especially by the sea-side, the coarser 

 animal oils will come very cheap. A pound of 

 common grease may be procured for fourpence; 

 and about six pounds of grease will dip a pound of 

 rushes ; and one pound of rushes may be bought 

 for one shilling ; so that a pound of rushes, medi- 

 cated and ready for use, will cost three shillings. 

 If men that keep bees will mix a little wax with 

 the grease, it will give it a consistency, and 

 render it more cleanly, and make the rushes 

 burn longer : mutton suet would have the same 

 effect. 



A good rush, which measured in length two 

 feet four inches and an half, being minuted, burnt 

 only three minutes short of an hour : and a rush of 

 still greater length has been known to burn one 

 hour and a quarter. 



These rushes give a good clear light. Watch- 

 lights (coated with tallow), it is true, shed a 



