Some Uses for Field Stone 
ashes settling about the open fireplace soon 
gets into the stone, producing a grimy ap¬ 
pearance impossible to clean. In construct¬ 
ing an open fireplace in a Buck Hill bunga¬ 
low, the owner discarded the plentiful supply 
of cobbles which Nature had provided on his 
building site, and with patience, and no little 
expense and delay in the building, collected 
a number of big, rough stones, with their 
surfaces covered with lichens and mosses. 
The effect was decidedly picturesque, and 
seemingly appropriate for the mossy rustic 
furnishings surrounding, when these mossy 
stones were set in place to form the face of the 
fireplace, but the collection of soot soon 
destroyed the lichens and finally blackened 
the rough surfaces of the stone, until all 
beauty and fitness were lost. In tbe fireplace 
of a neighboring bungalow, small smooth 
cobbles were used entirely for the outer 
surfaces, with a lining of fire-brick for the 
fireplace; and although the opening was both 
high and wide, with a deep throat provided 
to give the smoke a good, easy start, the 
rugged appearance of the whole was not in 
the least destroyed by the massing together 
of the many small stones, which required 
little cleaning to keep them in good condition. 
A combination of cobbles and larger stone 
with comparatively smooth surfaces, is also 
used with good effect where the fireplace is 
massive, with the stone work extending far 
above it to support a succession of mantels. 
The largest stones are used at the base of the 
A FIELD STONE FIREPLACE 
A CHIMNEY AT POCONO 
fireplace, on either side of the open grate, 
and also for arching the opening—although 
the stones for the latter purpose are some¬ 
what smaller, and of uniform size. Then 
above the arch the cobbles are used; with 
mantels formed of slabs of stone built securely 
into the cobble work. A stone 
tablet for inscription is also 
set firmly in the cobble facing 
above the upper mantel. 
The primitive effect of the 
cobble-faced fireplace is 
charmingly increased by ap¬ 
propriate selection of the 
hearth, and provision for the 
fire. The material used to 
form the hearth—in this in¬ 
stance big slabs of stone being 
most appropriate—shou'd ex¬ 
tend well out into the room. 
I his will not only increase 
the effect of massiveness, but 
will insure less risk from flying 
sparks, and less floor covering 
will be required. Nothing can 
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