THE PICNIC FIRE.

Otaki Mail, 7 January 1924, Page 3

THE PICNIC FIRE.

Instead of methylated spirit lamps, take a bottle of paraffin and a lump of salt with you when on camping or'picnic expeditions. An excellent lire for boiling a kettle can bo prepared with these two articles. When the fire is needed dig a hole in the ground about a foot in depth and measuring at the top a little less than the diameter of the. kettle. Now take a lump of salt about the size-of an egg, place it at the bottom ofVthc hole, saturate it with paraffin and ignite. The kettle must be plaoed so that a small opening is left to admit the air. - A fierce heat will arise from the oilsoaki'd salt and will last for some time. If a lump cannot-be secured, powdered salf may be piled in a tin lid and similarly soaked with paraffin. Even in a windy position, or where everything is damp, 11 is nearly always possible to boil a kettle in the manner described. I A lump of coke, or any other similar porous material can-be substituted for the salt and similarly impregnated with paraffin. Precautions should be taken to keep the paraffin well away from any food that may be carried. , • It is a great mistake to put a kettle right down on to an ordinary picnic wood fire. Placed in this way, the water takes a. long while to boil, and the handle becomes so hot that it is almost impossible to hold it. Thx. right way to sling the kettle is to place it so that it is just above the hottest part of the flame. Into the ground on either side of the fire press two forked sticks about three feet in height. Then erossways over these put a stick, passing it through the handle of the kettle. When it is desired to remove the kettle it is easy to take the ends of the cross stick without burning the hands.