The first and most natural way of lighting the houses of the American colonists, both in the North and South, was by the pine-knots of the fat pitch-pine, which, of course, were found everywhere in the greatest plenty in the forests.
Alice Morse Earle was an American historian and author known for her writings on early American colonial life and material culture. Her books shed light on the everyday lives of early settlers and their customs, providing valuable insights into American history.