The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-07-06
THE KITCHEN STOVE.


by Anna BarrOWS.
The use of fire to- cook his food first
distinguished man from animals. Civili-
cation began when the cooking animal"
as man has been called, built a fire and
devised means for his protection.
The worship of fire, the household gods
of the ancients, the hearthstone on which
all architecture rests, all Indicate the
power or heat in human progress. 1T
would be interesting to note the changes
in the way of living from generation to
generation which have been brought
about by a change of fuels
The laws of fire and water must be
known to those who are to manipulate
the kitchen stBve. Improved appliances
will come as mistress and maid reach a
higher plane Of intelligence.
The fuel to be used decides the general
style Of range; wood, coal, gasoline, kero-
sene and gas are each good in it's place,
but rather increase in advantages in the
order named
Electricity has not yet been fully stud
fed in its application to the kitchen, and
the present implements for electrical
cookery have certain disadvantages
which doubtless will be overcome in flu
ture
Commercially the word range is applied
to the larger and more complete stoves
intended for cooking purposes Stove is
a word of more general application.
The great variety manufactured makes
it possible for every housekeeper who
selects a range, to secure one just suited
to her conditions.
1t should be chosen carefully to fit the
particular place where it must stand in
the kitchen. It's relation to the other ar
ticles of furniture must be considered.
The palmer the surface of the range the
easier to keep it clean, yet the manu-
fucturers claim that the more 'orna-
mental a range is made the better it
sells. To say nothing of the question Of
the suitability Of cast-iron for artistic
designs, is it not distinctly bad taste to
have floral decorations, heroic figures
and the like in such position that they
are liable to be believed with grease?
The size Of the range must be adapted
to the number in the family and the size
and shape of the kitchen. 1t is a mistake
to crowd a small one too much, yet with
wise planning much can be accomplished.
1t is an equal error to put a large range in
small kitchen, more coal will be used
and the room be made too hot for comfort.
A small or medium sized range is sufd-
cient for the average family, and for
emergencies can be supplemented by the
Kerosene or gas stove, which should form
a part Of the outfit of every kitchen. The
gas stove saves all labor of transporting
fuel or ashes, and if carefully managed
is no more expensive than other means
of obtaining heat A small kerosene
stove, if we'll trimmed and kept out of a
draft of air will do good work A well
made box with close fitting cover and
divisions inside for wood or coal and
kindlings, for backing and brushes,
should have a place near the stove On
one end Of this box, or on the wall behind
the stove, may hang the poker, tongs II
wood is used, shovel, two lifters for the
stove covers, a whielx broom and a softer
brush. hook on the wall can be filled
with pieces of soft newspaper a foot
square, ready to rub any spots of grease.
Asbestos mats should be ready to keep
delicate foods from scorching. A shelf on
the stove or above it on the wall is useful
for yeast coughs. Near the stove, too.
should be the clock which is an indis-
pensable article of kitchen furniture.
The iron kettles which formerly were
all that were deemed necessary for use
with the stove are being superseded by.
lighter ones. The teakettle especially
should be easily lifted. A steam cooker
takes the place of several kettles and
makes it possible to do much cooking on
g small stove.