The fact that the stationary entails no dust-bag cleaning is a time and labor-saving actuality. Then, too, no matter how good the dust bag is on the portable vacuum cleaner, some of the very fine dust must escape through the bag into the room. In the stationary type the cleaner politely does its exhaling in the cellar. This point has been made valuable to chocolate makers who want to save the loss of chocolate in packing boxes, to manufacturers who want to obviate the retaining of poisonous dust among the workers, etc., etc. In the stationary as well as in the portable vacuum cleaners the suction is caused by the pump or fan type machine. Some manufacturers advocate one, some another. In picking your winner you must go to the best manufacturer of each type and let him give you his tale, and then see whether you come out a pump fan or a fan fan! The other intricacies of this simple machine need not bother you. Go to the best makers and make them responsible for your purchase. Not all of us being engineers, you have to depend on the reputation of the best makers. The stationary cleaner can do more work than the portable, it will last longer because the machinery is heavier, yet there are drawbacks to it as to all machinery which is not at all points open to the eye. For example, the pipes may clog. But you must remember that water pipes can clog and that gas pipes do very exasperating things; yet you use them without blinking. For the very large residence, factory, hospital, hotel and institution, of course the stationary machine is best, mainly because it is difficult to get help to-day to carry about the premises anything that is heavy. To lift, push or carry the lightest portable over a very large residence or institution is a trial, and the stationary type overcomes this difficulty. In some cases the heavy duty portable is advised with its increased horsepower, but when the purse and area of residence match, the stationary type is really the best, although we know householders who prefer to use the portable and heavy duty portables everywhere. The stationary plant is only another real “pipe dream” come true, and in addition to piped water, piped gas and conduited electricity it will tend to hasten the processes of home maintenance and free the home-keepers to do more spiritual home tending. But remember that in the average home or apartment the portable machine is the ideal sweeper and fulfills more than every requirement of sanitary sweeping combined with the least effort. The stationary is for the large house, not the small. CHAPTER VI COOKING BY ELECTRIC CURRENT The electric stove is the most dependent on geography of all your kitchen implements. Because it consumes a large amount of electricity, the rate of this as a fuel will decide whether or not you can use the electricity-consuming stove. This decision, in turn, is affected by the rate of electricity for cooking in every different locality in the country.