Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-01-10
Home Correspondence.
The Fuel Question.

ED. Notwithstanding the height of
the horse sickness we came to the verge
of fuel famine. If we had not resorted
to corn there would have been actual
suffering This peculiar state Of affairs
never reached such n point before, but
it should lead us to consider the matter
to look it square in the face, to ascertain
whittier we are tending in regard to the
important question of fuel
The natural supply of wood for fuel in
this county is entirely insufficient. So
far as my knowledge extends there are
very few men in the county who sell
wood for any other reason than because
they are compelled to do it In order to
raise money to pay their interest and
taxes. They do it for the same reason
that they sell all their wheat, rescrving
none for seed.
They are fast cleaning off their wood
lots, and the time is close by when they
will have no more wood to sell Now
when the supply Of wood does give out
what shall we do for fuel? This winter
many have been and are still burning
corn, and if this can be done economical
~ and satisfactorily, we need give our
selves no further trouble in regard to
fuel, for our soil and climate are well
adapted to that, and VIC can no doubt
grow that crop as long as we can grow
ANYTHING But corn does not give salts.
faction. We can burn it on pinch, just
us we can burn our chairs and tables, to
keep from freezing. 1t will make IA eX-
ceedingly hot fire and burn out your
stove, but the moment your back is turn
ed it is all out. And it is too expensive.
1t costs rs much for winter fuel rs coal at
ten dollars per ton, even at the eXccp-
tionably low figures Of fifteen cents per
bushel, and farmers know now-and pay
day will reveal it to men in business
the farmer. We cannot afford to burn
corn. From my experience, l believe
family will burn SIX hundred bushels i
year. If ground, this will make thirty,
two hundred pound hogs. worth six dol
lurs each, amounting to one hundred and
eighty dollars-and it is objectionable
stupidity to make business Of selling
corn before you get il into pork or beef.
Now can we afford to pay such price
for years fuel? Even at the present
cxorbitant price of coal, years supply
will cost but fifty dollars.
The man who sells corn is selling his
farm by the bushcl, and the man who
burns it is doing just as badly, and yet
farmers should rely upon themselves as
much as possible. Neither manufactur-
ing or railroad corporations have any
further interest in an Iowa farmer than
is measured by the profit they can make
out of him, and all that is done for him
he must do himself What, then, shall
he do to prepare for the time when the
nutivc forests give out? Some are exper-
imenting with un-dowers. 1t is said
that if planted in drills, upon rich ground,
and worked like corn, the stocks will
grow as large as stout mans arm, and
cut early. the pith becomes as hard as
wood, and burned, seeds and all, it makes
better fuel than western coal, and the
product of one acre will suffice an ordi-
nary family 1t is easily, tried and will
he tested in this part of the county the
coming season. If successful, it will
prove cheap substitute tor wood.