CONTRIBUTIONS    TO    ECONOMIC    GEOLOGY,    1903.  [bull.  225. 
dust.  It  is  well  known  that  stokers  prefer  to  handle  bituminous  coal 
in  firino-  their  boilers,  and  the  additional  labor  necessary  to  feed  twice 
the  weight  of  fuel  to  an  engine  must  at  length  increase  the  cost  of 
using  that  fuel. 
Plants  using  large  quantities  of  fuel  might  advantageously  reduce 
the  lignite  to  a  line  condition  and  dry  it  before  burning.  Automatic 
stokers  are  found  to  handle  the  fuel  conveniently  in  this  condition, 
and  when  they  are  used  in  combination  with  forced  draft,  hollow 
grates,  and  lire-brick  arches,  effect  very  satisfactory  combustion  of 
line  fuel.  The  efficiency  of  pulverized  fuel  in  this  connection  might 
even  be  increased  by  feeding  it  to  the  lire  by  means  of  a  blast. 
Local  significance. — While  all  may  not  yet  be  clear  as  to  the  status 
of  the  lignite-producing  industry  in  relation  to  that  of  higher-grade 
coals,  the  rapid  increase  in  its  development  within  the  last  three  years 
in  North  Dakota  is  indicative  of  its  great  importance  in  that  region. 
Situated  as  the  State  is,  remote  from  bituminous  coal  fields  and  with 
no  local  fuel  supply,  other  than  a  very  limited  and  rapidly  disappearing 
quantity  of  timber,  besides  the  vast  deposits  of  lignite,  it  is  important 
that  attention  should  be  intelligent^  directed  to  the  latter  resource. 
With  the  active  interest  that  is  certain  to  follow  the  geologist's 
study  of  the  question  will  come  improvements  in  the  crude  methods  of 
mining,  and  experimental  investigations  into  the  mechanical  difficulties 
besetting  the  preparation  of  the  product  for  fuel  purposes,  and  the 
people  will  become  better  educated  in  the  methods  of  using  lignite. 
With  this  should  come  also  a  decrease  in  the  cost  of  production",  and  a 
larger  volume  of  trade  should  justify  lower  freight  rates,  so  that  the 
lignite  may,  even  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  State,  compete  with 
eastern  coal. 
Doctor  Wilder  has  concisely  pointed  out  the  far-reaching  significance 
of  this  resource  to  the  State.  He  touches  upon  its  possibilities  as  an 
aid  to  the  rapid  settlement  of  unoccupied  lands,  and  of  its  relations 
to  diversified  manufacturing  interests,  the  clay  industries,  municipal 
improvements,  and  irrigation. 
