Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 21, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 December 1899 — A Good Fire Kindler. [ARTICLE]

A Good Fire Kindler.

On one of our outings to the mountains we secured a quantity of very rich pitch pine which made such good kindling wood that when it was gone the old way of whittling shavings seemed very unsatisfactory, and we set out to find something better. Pouring kerosene on makes the fire start quickly, but we have a prejudice against being burned alive. After various experiments we hit upon the following which is safe and cheap and good. Take a flat tenpound lard palL Break corn cobs in two and stand the halves on end in the pail until the bottom is filled. Then pour kerosene enough over them to wet the cobs and leave a little in the bottom of the pail, so that half an inch or less of the cobs will stand in the oiL One of these pieces of cob laid in the grate will light readily from a match and burn strongly enough to start quite coarse kindling, and prove a great help on cold winter mornings.