The nest may be a galvanized or tin bucket of a size which will admit of three inches of packing between the outside container and the nest. The sides and bottom of the nest are covered with asbestos to prevent the scorching or the burning of the packing. The packing must be of some material through which the heat cannot easily escape. Cork, sawdust, excelsior, hay, or shredded newspaper may be used to an advantage. Three inches of this packing is put tightly in the bottom of the outside container and around the sides to fill in the space between the outside container and the nest. A four-inch space is left at the top of the fireless cooker in which a cushion made of unbleached cotton or some other material is stuffed with the packing and placed to make the cooker air-tight. Cut two circles out of the unbleached cotton and a three-inch straight piece to join the circles together. A hot soapstone, stove plate or brick is placed in the bottom of the nest before the food vessel is placed in the fireless cooker. The food vessel may be any cooking utensil with a top that will fit in the nest after the soapstone has been put in. Cut a circle of tin or cardboard to fit top of inside of cooker with an opening the size of the nest. This gives a good finish to the top of the fireless cooker and preserves the packing. [Illustration] [Illustration: Assembled material for building a fireless cooker. 1, Outside container; 2, paper for lining; 3, material for packing; 4, inside nest; 5, cooker vessel; 6, soapstone; 7, paste; 8, tape; 9, cardboard; 10 muslin for cushion; 11, stain; 12, a finished cooker; 13, top to inside nest] MATERIALS: 1 lard can 18” × 24”. 1 lard can 12” × 15”. 4 lbs. excelsior. 1 yd. asbestos. ¾ yd. unbleached cotton. 1 soapstone. 1 sheet cardboard. DIMENSIONS: _Outside Container_: 18” × 24”. _Nest_: 12” × 15”. _Cooking Vessel_: 11½” × 13”. DIRECTIONS: Place 3” of excelsior in the bottom of the outside container (18” × 24”) and pack it down tightly. Cover the bottom and sides of the nest (12” × 15”) with asbestos. Then place nest in the outside container holding it in place while 3” of packing is put tightly between the outside container and nest. Cut the cardboard circle to fit inside of the top of outside container with an opening to fit the top of the nest and put on top to give a good finish and to preserve the packing. Make the cushion for the top of the unbleached cotton by cutting two circles with 3” strip to join them together. Then pack the cushion tightly with the same packing. Enamel the cooker. [Illustration]