A. As every blaze tends upwards, if the paper were placed on the top of the fire, its blaze would afford no contact of flame to fuel lying below.
Q. Why should coal be placed above the wood?
A. As every flame tends upwards, if the wood were above the coal, the flame would not rise through the coal to heat it.
Q. Why is a fire kindled at the lowest bar of a grate?
A. As every flame tends upwards; when a flame is made at the bottom of a fire, it ascends through the fuel and heats it: whereas, if the fire were lighted from the top, the flame would not come into contact with the fuel piled below.
Q. Why does coal make such excellent fuel?
A. Because it is so very hard and compact, that it burns away very slowly.
Q. Why will cinders become red hot, quicker than coals?
A. Because they are more porous and less solid; and are, therefore, sooner reduced to a state of combustion.