26 BULLETIN 753, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
Any size of coal or coke can be used, but the small sizes fill in best 
between the chinks in the wood. Buckwheat coal can be burned 
successfully in this way, and its low price will help to offset the 
higher price of block wood, making an economical combination. 
CAUTION.—When burning the small sizes of coal take care to 
avoid gas explosions by always leaving a flame burning on some part 
of the fire; in other words, do not cover the whole fire with fresh 
fuel at one time. 
BURNING WOOD IN FIREPLACES. 
Where a fireplace is available wood can be used to good advan- 
tage, affording both heat and ventilation. Its value is to supple- 
ment a furnace, although it may replace the furnace in fall and 
spring with decided economy. 
It is not generally realized that a wood fire can be kept burning 
night and day in a fireplace with very little attention and with small 
consumption of wood. One user reports continuous use of a fire- 
place in this way for over a month, with dry chestnut wood, where 
the amount of ashes formed by a month’s use was not enough to 
require removal. 
The secret of fireplace management is a plentiful supply of ashes, 
kept at the level of the andirons. As the blocks burn, an accumu- 
lation of glowing charcoal forms in the ashes. This keeps on burn- 
ing slowly and assists in igniting the fresh blocks on the andirons. 
A pocket may be formed in the ashes into which the hot charcoal 
may fall, forming a heat storage. Two or three blocks on the and- 
irons with the hot charcoal in the ashes will form an excellent fire. 
To check the fire, ashes are shoveled over one or more of the blocks, 
covering lightly all the burning wood. This will not put out the 
fire; it will only check the rate of burning, so that red charcoal will 
be found when the ashes are removed for addition of fresh fuel. 
Fireplace wood is usually cut in longer lengths than stove wood, 
but the ordinary 16-inch stove length is convenient. Any kind of 
wood can be used, provided it is dry and seasoned. 
A banked fire will keep 10 or 12 hours and will send some heat 
from the hot bricks all the time. A well-managed fireplace will be 
found a great addition to the heating system in any residence. 
INDUSTRIAL USE OF WOOD FUEL. 
Wood is very generally used for fuel by sawmills and wood- 
working plants. For this purpose it is burned in the form of slabs, 
4 feet or so long, or is cut up into “hog” fuel and shoveled or fed 
automatically into the fire box. In these cases wood fuel is a by- 
product which would have to be disposed of at some cost if not 
burned for fuel, so that its use is economical. It is seldom economical 
