THE DOMESTIC POKER

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 95, 16 January 1919, Page 6

THE DOMESTIC POKER

UNSCIENTIFIC AND OBSOLETE. The domestic poker, .plain in tho kitchen and polished in. tho parlour, is falling into disrepute as a coal-v/asting instrument. ■In these days of fuel shortage it should be put away, buried, or used as an allotment tool. There are scientific,reasons for the abolition of the poker.. Many, if »ot most, coals burn quito as well without its application. Other coals, particularly those of the anthracite type, if stirred with the poker will not burn at all. Combustion experts have proved that it is radiation; only that counts in the warming of a room. It is the stoppage of radiation which accounts for tlie commonly observed phenomenon of a general movement of chairs towards a fire still burning brightly and for tho vigorous application of the poker. . Poking the fire certainly causes the eoals to biaze but not to radiate, and t'he heat engendered by combustion passes up tho chimney. The fire should be left alone, ai>d this, firebricks which every patriotic householder should have put in his grate, will do the" radiation and will warm the room. Ono pound of coal contains about 12.D00 heat units, or sufficient to heat a fairly largo room for one hour in tho dead of winter. In the ordinary wasteful type of household'grate about three pounds of coal are used, because 8000 of the heat units go up t'he chimney and only 4000 heat units pass into the room. ' Therefore those wlio indulge in the habit of poking tho lire—it is only a habit and a bad one—will do well to remember when tempted to take the poker in liand that with eon] at £2 prr ton, for every ton of coal burned in the domestic grate they are sending £1 Cs. 7(1. of hard-earned money up thechimney without gaining any return in the way of beat to the room.