Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-10-27

THE manner In which fire wood for do.
mestic purposes is prepared and managed
by large portion Of the rural population,
argues great want of economy, rs well
rs stupid management. Hard working
mothers, and faithful female domestics
often have their patience tried to the ut.
most by miserable fuel, miserably pre-
pared, or by an abundance Of the best
quality of fire.wood provided in such an
unsuitable manner that 1t cannot be made
to burn at all satisfactorily. And, strange
as 1t may appear, people who are In
Strengthened circumstances, and who aim
to exercise rigid economy in all their af,
fairs, seem to have no thought touching
economy In the proper preparation OF fire.
wood. A large number OF families never
know how convenient and economical n
wood house or simply woodshesi Is,
Their practice has always been 10 shelter
their fuel with & now-bank In the winter,
and beneath thunder cloud at other sea-
sons of the year. Consequently, the mu.
sic Of the kitchen consists Of the kissing
and steaming Of the consuming fuel, and
the discordant symphonies OF the fretting
and stewing domestics over unsatisfactory
fires.
a great many prudent fathers seem to
think that their duties are ended as soon
as the fire.wood has been dropped near
the dwelling, where 1t Is allowed TO re-
main and soak in the storms, and TO mold
and deteriorate In the dampness. Ia II
any wonder that scowls and permanent
corrugstion disfgure the faces OF our
mothers and loving wives, when strong
men, luxuriatlng in their easy chairs, or
reveling or dissipating with kindred spir-
its, spend more time thus than would be
required TO cut, and split, and pile, every
stick of large wood pile in q good wood
housef
We are all after little more money
just little. Now then, here is an excel
lent chance to save not only few dimes,
but many dollars One cord of good
wood, cut and split fine and corded up be-
meath a shelter while the timber Is yet
green, after it has become seasoned will
furnish more heat than tpo cords OF the
same kind of fuel which is allowed 10 re.
main in the open air, exposed to alternate
storms and sunshine. II family with
out wood house has beea accustomed TO
consume twenty cords OF wood annually,
worth say % per cord, they may, by prop.
erly preparing ten cords in wood house,
six months before the fuel Is to be burned,
save wood equivalent to $50 ready money.
More than this. contemplate the convent.
ence and luxury Of quick, lasting and
hot fire, when compared with the perplex-
ities incident to the incessant kissing and
simmering Of poor fire; and the stew
ing and frying that must be endured be-
ore one can get the fire up to baking
heat
The truth is that tillers Of the soil, and
In fact all persons who labor out of doors,
have wet days enough, when they cannot
work in the field, to prepare every stick
OF firewood in a proper manner for the
store, and TO pile II up beneath some kind
Of a shed, where domestics will always
have access to wood that will burn like
finder.
The main consideration in providing Q
wood house IL simply roof TO carry of
the rain. A tight wood house is Q misera-
BILE place TO keep firewood, unlessit has been
well seasoned before II Is carried In. Let
the wood be cut short and split fine while
IL Is green, and then be corded up In an
airy wood house, before the sticks have
lain long enough 70 be water soaked, and
in six months you will have wood.pile
that will dispel the scowls and corruga-
tons from the vexed blows Of patient
cooks. - Ischn0LO0ist