THE CARE OF LAMPS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume V, Issue 41, 11 October 1890, Page 14

THE CARE OF LAMPS.

Tn e commonest mistake, and one of the worst, is to permit the draft of the burner to become clogged with charred wick, pieces of burned matches, etc. Some people do not seem to know that the flame of the lamp requires a clear draft, as does a fire. Without it there is imperfect combustion, flickering, smoking, and bad smell, which are usually charged to the oil, the lamp, the burner of the chimney, when in fact the fault is in the user. Keep the inside as well as the outside of the burner clean, and keep all openings completely free from even the least obstruction.

More mistakes are made in trimming the wick too often. It is not always necessary to trim it every day. Usually, indeed, every other day is sufficiently frequent if the lamp has been fully supplied with oil. lie guided by the amount of use. Do not cut oil’ all the charred portion. Leave a thin coat of the char on the end of the wick. It is next to impossible to get an even, well shaped flame from a fresh cut wick. Slightly round the corners to prevent the llame spreading too wide and overheating the sides of the chimney. Do not let the wick get too short. When it does not touch the bottom of the lamp it is time to get a new one, and it should be done at once. Never seek to lengthen it by sewing on strips of cloth. See that the wick exactly fits the tube, but not tightly. In putting in a new wick be careful not to let a thread of the warp catch in the teeth of the ratchet and pull out ; it will make trouble ever after. A wick should be discarded and a new one substituted after a year's use, even if still long enough. < >f course, the wick must be perfectly dry when put in, and in starting a new lamp that has been washed or an old one that has been cleaned, the utmost care should be taken that every atom of moisture has been dried out before the oil is put in. Be sure to give the wick time to fill with oil before lighting it ; or if haste is necessary, turn the dry wick far above the top of the burner and dip that end in the oil in the lamp ; turn it back, reverse the burner, screw it in place, and the wick is ready to light. Make sure that the chimney fits closely at the base. Occasionally a chimney will be found slightly rounded on the bottom, so that there is always a little crevice on one

side or the other. This causes a side draught, makes the blaze unsteady and often puzzles the housekeeper to discover ‘ what ails the lamp.’ < >ne more error is to burn the lamp with the oil in the reservoir too low. This not only causes imperfect combustion of oil and overburning of the wick, but is dangerous. At the very least the oil should not get below an inch in depth, and it is much better to keep the lamp nearly full. Never fill it quite up to the burner socket. Leave a small air space for safety and to allow for the expansion of the oil when warmed. It is usually cold when put in, and if the lamp be completely filled and left in a warm room it will soon be found flowing over the top. Use only the best oil. Cheap oil is much more expensive, besides being unsafe.