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 precipitate 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 pro- 

 cured 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, medicated 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 will have the same effect. 



A good rush, which measured in length two feet 

 four inches and a half, being minuted, burnt only 

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

 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 dismal 

 one, '' darkness visible ; " but then the wicks of those 

 have two ribs of the rind, or peel, to support the 

 pith, while the wick of the dipped rush has but one. 

 The two ribs are intended to impede the progress 

 of the flame and make the candle last. 



In a pound of dry rushes, avoirdupois, which I 

 58 



