THE STOVE

Of paramount importance is, of course, the stove, and what kind it
shall be, whether gas, coal, or oil. Those of us who have grown
accustomed to the immunity from those inevitable accompaniments of a
coal range, ashes, soot, dust, and heat, afforded by the gas range,
with its easily regulated broiler and oven, could hardly be persuaded
to go back to first principles, as it were, and the coal range. But
when this is necessary, either for warmth or because there is no gas
connection in the house, one has a wide choice of first-class stoves
and can hardly go astray in selecting one. Twenty-one dollars will buy
a good, durable stove with all modern improvements and a large oven. A
stove with the same capacity but manufactured under a world-famous name
sells for $32, while between the two in price is one at $28. Two firms
manufacture, in connection with their regular line of ranges, a
three-plate gas stove which can be attached directly to the range, and
sells for $6. A portable steel oven, covering two burners, for use on
gas and oil stoves alike, adds to the convenience of the gas plate, and
sells for $2. If a gas range is desired, an excellent one with a large
oven, broiler, and all conveniences may be purchased for $18, one with
a smaller oven for $15. It might be well to suggest in passing that a
small oven is poor economy. Water backs, for both gas and coal ranges,
are $3.50 each. Where gas is unobtainable a three-burner wickless
oil-stove plate will be found to give very good satisfaction, and can
be placed on the coal range or on a table or box. The range of the
same capacity is $1 more, with an increase in price corresponding with
the number of burners, until we have the five-burner stove at $11. To
do away with the odor which is apt to result from the use of oil as