Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-11-25
agricultural.
For tie Freeman.
Thoughts Oh the Subject of Fuel.

Almost every housewife knows something
of the difference between dry wood and green /;
but we sometimes fail to realize what very
poor economy it is to burn wood in a green
state, and in consequence of not duly reflect
ing upon this matter, many farmers, and
also many men who buy their wood at high
prices, either use it green, or suffer il to dry
exposed to the weather, which greatly re-
due, its true value. 4 little philosophical
attention to this subject may not, at this sea
son of the year, be improbable.
Every cord of green wood contains at a
low estimate. one hundred gallons of water
The question rises what becomes Of this
water when the fuel is burned? 1t is Of
course. dissipated, and driven away in yapor,
but this operation is performed at the ex-
pense of the heat which is evolved by the
combustion of the wood, and that this is not
Q triiing expense, scientific principles, and
practical facts. clearly prove.
If we take O pound of ice, at a temperature
of thirty-two degrees, and immense it in a
pound OF hot water, at one hundred and
seventy two degrees, the ice will soon be
melted but the fluid viii not be of n tenn
p~erature midway between the ice and toe
not water, but will be of the same temper
aturc as was the ice before it was melted, or
thirty-two degrees. Hence, we see that one
hundred and forty degrees of heat have been
lost In converting the ice TO a fluid state. and
are not indicated by the thermometer. This
amount of heat has become latent. and insen-
sible. This is in accordance with a scien-
tifc princip pie, that when a solid is reduces
TO a fluid substance, caloric is absoived, and
becomes latent. The same result Is noticed
when a fluid is changed t. q vapor state but
the amount of heat absorbed and rendered
insensible is much greater Water in being
converted into steam, absOrbs nearly one
thousand degrees Of heat which is destroyed.
as to its practical effects. This fact has been
determined by experiment, and has a direct
bearing upon the subject under consideration
We can, therefore, form some idea of what
portion of the heat which would naturally
arise from the combustion of cord of wood
must be expended in vaporizing one hundred
gallons Of water. This amount of water
must be converted INTO steam, and it C ,rries
away . great amount of heat in a latent
state which otherwise would exert it's inhu-
ence in producing n sensible effect This
fact renders the reason why green wood
does not answer 4 good purpose for warming
a ROOM. very obvious.
But there is another consideration which
renders it poor policy to burn green wood
1t destroys, or Z. burns out a stove much
quicser than dry wood does. A stove which
ID fed with green wood. will not endure more
ldl hLiA "a tObS ~ II fOuAd ~ II IaCI WE
used. This fact has led some to suppose thal
green wood makes a hotter FIRE than dry
Bat It is not the heat that destroys the stove
Iron has an affinity for oxygen, and, in {
heated state, it abssrbs Ii very slowly from
the atmosphere but it absorbs it much more
readily from the vapor of water. The steam
which arises from green wood come. con.
stantly in contact with the inside of tn,
heated stove, and the metallic iron is conver
ted into a black brittle oxide, which crumblea
away, and the stove is said TO be burnet
out" Ihe drier the fuel, the less the vapo
which comes in contact with the interior O
the stove. and. consequently, the longer TIL
stove will last. CFTTE
Thus We see a philosophical reason TO
making an effort to provide ourselves wit
dry wood, as a matter Of economy, as well a
Of utility but it is a matter of some impor
lance how our wood is dried. The e~ssentia
combustible element in fuel, is carbon. L
the process of burning, this carbon unite
with the oxygen of the atmosphere, and j
the process of decay it SLOWLY unites with tn
same clement, which it absorbs from tn
moisture with which it is surrounded. A
soon as the timber ceases to grow, if i.
exposed to air, warmth and moisture. tn
carbon that it contains will begin to oxidate
and the process of decay will
The "sap" of the timber first loses it
bright lively appearance. and turns to a dea
brownish color. The carbon is then slowl
uniting with oxygen, forming carbonic aei
which escapes in gas, ana leaves the WOO
light and porous, greatly diminishing it
heating qualities. As long as it is expose
to moisture, this process continues, until th
work of decay is completed.
Fuel which has thus suffered an injury. an
is afterwards well dried, burns very readily
but more or less of the carbon, or the heal
ing quality of the wood. has been DESTROYED
and it soon burns out, and does not produc
the heat it otherwise would.
At the present tune, when wood is 50 yalu
able, care should be taken TO get the fu
benefit Of it. 1t should be prepared for til
stove in a green state, and after the water
dried from the surface. it should be looeel
packed under a shed, which should be {
arranged that the air can pass through th
pile. Then, when it Is thoroughly dry, it
fit FOX nse, and will prove lasting and Walt
able. II is probable, that az . general est
mate, people do not realize more than tw,
thirds the value of their wood. either fro
burning it green, or from its being improl
erly cured T7 Pr. ".