The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1908-05-15

THE following articles will be re-
quired in its constructions Cd A tight
box, barrel, or old trunk, with a tight
fitting lid CD Padding that will pre-
vent loss of heat; hay, straw, wool,
feathers. ground cork asbestos, or
mineral wool. CD Asbestos board to
line the box, and asbestos paper to be
used as an inside cylinder. (4)
Cheese cloth or f1our-sacking to cover
the padding. 90 A granite bucket
with tight-fitting lid, in which the food
is cooked.
"The cooker is made in the follow
ing manner: The box is lined with
asbestos board on bottom and sides.
The bottom is covered with three
inches of the padding material, on
which is placed cylinder piece of
asbestos paper just large enough to
allow the cooking bucket to slip into
it. Between the sides of the box and
the asbestos cylinder the padding is
placed The box should be large
enough so that there will be at least
three inches of this padding on all
sides of the cylinder. A cloth bag
with round bottom should be made
that will fit into this cylinder and ex-
the sides of the box, where it should
be tackled to prevent the padding from
becoming scattered. A three-inch pill
low of the padding material should
be supplied to place over the cooking
bucket before the lid of the box is
closed down.
Food, boiling hot, placed in this
box and left undisturbed will continue
to cook and remain hot for ten or
twelve hours"
A Dakota speaker says in her Insti-
tute lectures:
This very effective cooker con-
sisted of two square boxes, one from
six to eight inches smaller all
around than the other If possible,
the boxes should be air tight, and the
larger one low enough so that on cas-
tors, it can be easily showed under the
kitchen table. On the bottom of the
larger box, three or four inches of
clean coarse wool is spread, and on
this the smaller box is placed, exactly
in the center. Around this inside box
should be pressed in all the wool the
space will hold and padded cover of
the same material should be made to
fit closely over it. We notice that
many recommend hay in place of wool,
but where wool can be had it makes
neater more durable and better non
conductor of heat than hay. A good
cover to each box also is still better
If the kettles or other vessels, which
have previously been brought to a
boiling point, are we'll wrapped in
common newspapers (also a good nom
conductor), and placed in a box, con-
structed as above, they will generally
come out with the contents we'll
cooked; and with a much more appe-
thing flavor than if cooked in the
open, where much Of the flavor and
best part of the food is lost in ex-
posture.
THE old brick ovens of our grand
mothers are largely accountable for
the excellent reputation these glorious
housekeepers had as cooks, and the
box cooker, properly handled, permits
nothing to escape from the food until
it is perfectly cooked"
A Farm Journal writer says:
'The 'fireless cook stove can be
made at home, absolutely without ex-
pense. Use a box or chest, with a
cover or lid. Line the bottom and
oi"oo Win oIouI pdChihS paper, VI sew
eral thicknesses of newspaper Pack
the bottom firmly with hay, not less
than four inches deep. Now take
kettle with straight sides and tight
fitting lid; place this in the center,
wrap thick paper around it, and pro-
coed to fill the sides with hay, max
ing firm nest. There should not be
less than four inches of hay around
the sides. The kettle is easily lifted
out of this nest, and the paper is left
in place and renewed when soiled.
Have a thick LAYER of paper to fit over