The gasoline stove has one advantage, the advantage that lies in the fact that its fuel is the same as that used in the engine of the car. There are disadvantages, too. Gasoline is somewhat dangerous, and being very thin leaks very readily. Gasoline will leak through a seam that will be sufficiently tight to hold oil. The jolting that is inevitable in connection with motoring, particularly with some of the more popular cars, has a surprising efficiency in opening up the seams of an ordinary gasoline stove. There have been many instances where small leaks have led to the explosion of these stoves. These explosions often have resulted in severe burns, and sometimes in death. Village tinsmiths along the motor highways testify that they frequently have gasoline stoves brought to them by motorists to have leaks stopped.
The various kinds of gasoline stoves specially designed for the use of the motor camper are described in Chapter [VI].
Oil stoves have their advantages. They are safe, convenient and reliable. The fuel is readily obtainable almost anywhere, and is economical. Oil stoves, however, have the disadvantage of requiring [[99]]more attention in the line of cleaning than gasoline stoves because the oil is not as volatile as the gasoline, and so will remain on the parts of the stove and gather dust. This combination is sure to make the stove smelly and a sort of a nuisance in camp. Scrupulous attention in keeping the stove always clean will obviate almost completely the tendency to smelliness. Stoves using a wick are much greater offenders in the way of smelling than the stoves that operate without a wick. The motor camper will find the wickless stove, especially the pressure oil stove, by far the most satisfactory oil stove to use.
Wood stoves, and stoves that will burn any solid fuel, are offered in wide variety by the various dealers in sporting goods. Most of these are very convenient, and the collapsible kind take up very little room. These stoves operate very well with twisted newspapers. If the motor camper instead of throwing away, burning up, or almost giving away his old newspapers to the rag man will bundle up fifty pounds or more of them in a flat package he will have a week’s supply of first-class fuel for his camp stove. Pick up a paper, fold it across once or twice, twist it up tight and hard, thrust it in the stove, light it, and the result will be a good hot fire.
The most useful types of these wood stoves are also discussed and described in Chapter [VI], which deals in part with camp equipment. In the same chapter appliances using solidified alcohol are described likewise. These little devices are convenient [[100]]and very useful for the purpose of heating milk or water for tea or coffee. They are also invaluable where a baby is with the campers. The Theroz and Sterno outfits use this solidified alcohol. The former offers the fuel in the form of cans filled with small cubes of the article, the latter in small cans filled with the fuel in undivided bulk. The little kits which use this kind of fuel are inexpensive, and are mentioned in Chapter [VI].
Most motor-camping parks provide either fireplaces or stoves of some sort. In many of the state and national forests the sites set aside for motor campers are provided with fireplaces. Open fires are not usually permitted at these camping sites where fireplaces or other facilities for fire are already provided. But where no provision has been made to help the camper with his fire, there is no objection to his providing himself with an open fire. Those in charge of state and national forests strongly advise the motor camper to supply himself with a stove. The foresters say: “Camp stoves should be taken wherever they can be transported. They are safer than open fires, more convenient, require less fuel, and do not blacken the cooking utensils.… In the absence of a stove an open fire must be built. A safe and serviceable fireplace can be made of rocks placed in a small circle so as to support the utensils. Where rocks are not obtainable poles may be used.”
If the camper stops with his car in an ordinary bit of woods he is almost sure to find plenty of dead [[101]]wood for his fire. When gathering these dead sticks do not take those lying flat on the ground as they will be damp and so will burn poorly.
Preparing the Ground
When preparing the ground for an open fire without a fireplace, see that the ground is cleaned bare for several feet around the spot where the fire is to be built. If the surface soil of the ground is humus or in any way resembling peat, it will be best to dig down to the sand clay or rock underneath. At least go down to clear soil and do not build a fire on ground containing vegetable matter. Fire will creep in some of the lighter forms of loam after a prolonged drought, and the camper must make sure that his fire is built upon ground that will not burn.