The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-07-27

the various varieties of fuel. The liv-
ing plant or tree. through its roots and
leaves, derives its sustenance from the
surrounding soil and air. With it's
roots it absorbs water in which is dis
solved earthly and heterogeneous matter;
with its leaves it breaths the carbonic
acid of the air, returning much of the
oxygen. Under the influence of the
suns life-giving rays it grows and con-
structs new fibre, sap and other COM
pounds, rich in carbon and hydrogen.
With every portion of the substance
thus formed portion of the suns heat
and light is absorbed and retained.
Since these compounds have been pro-
duced by the energy of the suns light,
they are readily combustible. When
ever in the form of wood, coal or gas
(Which are but definite forms of vege-
table matter), we decompose or burn
them, the energy absorbed from the
sun is set free in the form of artificial
heat and light. Thus Indirectly is arti-
fetal heat traceable to sunlight, the
DIRECT source of all natural heat.
ARTIFICIAL HEAT.-Fire: The ar
tificial heat and light which is produce
led by the combustion of an inflam-
mable substance is called fire. Air,
which surrounds everything. Is compos-
ed mainly of two elementary gases,
oxygen and nitrogen. Oxygen is the
element that sustains combustion. 1t
uniteS with and possesses a powerful
chemical affinity for other elementary
substances. In every such chemical
union heat is evolved. AT low tenn
perature this is not always perceptible
to our senses. AT a high temperature
the combination takes place with much
intensity and produces rapid combus-
! ton or fire. If pure oxygen were ev-
erywhere present combustion would be
furious and everything consumed; but
lit is diluted (not combned) with nitro
gen, an incombustible gas, which con-
stitutes about four-fifths of the at
mosphere, and thus lessons the COM
bustibility of everything with which it
comes in contact. Owing to this dilu-
ton oxygen will not unite with the
carbon and hydrogen in fuel and pro-
duce rapid combustion, except at a
| high temperature, called the burning
point This temperature varies in
different substances. The phosphorus
on the match will ignite when merely
heated by friction. Paper burns read
! lily. Soft wood, like pine, on account
of its coarse fibre, burns quickly, and
in consequence is desirable for kind
ling purposes. Hard wood like oak and
hickory, having the fibres more densely
packed, burns slowly. Bituminous or
soft coal ignites quickly: anthracite or
hard coal kindles slowly. 1t follows
that in building fire the materials
must be placed in the order of their
combustibility, with the lowest layer
of paper, shavings next then small
sticks of soft wood, with either hard
wood or coal above. The Importance
also of an abundant supply of oxygen
as a necessary element of combustion
must not be overlooked. Therefore the
materials must be placed loosely so the
air entering from beneath, can circu-
late freely throughout the entire mass
of wood or coal. Then, when the burn
ing match is applied to the paper, each
layer in turn. as it heats and burns
kindles the layer above. and very soon
there is bright flame In burning, the
oxygen unites with the carbon in the
fuel. producing carbonic acid gas and
with the hydrogen producing flame
The products of the combustion which
are not entirely consumed, pass off in
smoke, those which are incombustible
remain as ashes. The intensity of g
, fire and the amount of heat it pro-
duces depends upon it's supply of oxy-
gen. The larger the amount of hydro
gen in the fuel the greater will be the
flame. A fire for cooking purposes is
best made in a stove or range, so that
the heated air may be confined within
a certain space and regulated anC
utilized at will. Since flame heat, OBJ
tanned from kerosene or gas, has come
into general use. especially for cooking
, purposes, it has greatly simplified ant
revolutionized the process of building
and caring for a fire.
Believing that the proper application
of heat to foodstuffs is the first rudf
; ment of cookery, have taken the priv
5 ilege of making this the first of a Sc
: ries of instructive and entertaining pa
pers on the all-important subject o
2 how to cook
{ ARTHUR L. WYMAN, Chef.